The Flames of Dancing
by DDR B-Girl Emi
Summary: A story that follows the DDR characters in their dancing adventure. Romance...hate...humor...friendship...and drunks (read to find out). Rated PG-13 for vulgar language and alcohol usage. Please review! (Unfinished) *UPDATE!!! CHP.25!!*
1. Meet the Characters

In Space Colony X-77614, 2923 AD:  
"Ay-ay-ay, where's my samurai?" 18-year-old Charmy sang while she danced. Charmy was a cutesy girl who was wearing a cute little dress suit. It looked futuristic and hip. Her neon green hair stuck out from her helmet. She was wearing gloves and incredibly big boots. Charmy lived in space colony X-77614 in sector 3. It was the year 2923 AD.  
"Keep it down in there will ya?" 21-year-old Astro yelled. "Geez, you're 18 but you ACT like a five year-old!" Astro was wearing a green and blue leotard-like thing. It was a popular trend in space. He was white gloves and huge boots like Charmy. There was a visor-like object covering his eyes.  
"Astro...you're like, so mean!" Charmy teased. "What kinda brother are you?" she teased.  
"The question is what kind of sister are you? What GALAXY are you from?" Astro replied annoyed.  
"What are you doing anyway that would like, require TOTAL silence?" Charmy asked.  
"I recently bought this new invention, a time machine." Astro mumbled. "But the instruction booklet is written in Manragefifese."  
"Well, you toy with that thing, this is like, the coolest song. I'm so totally thrilled that I like, got this groovin'-data base! It has all the like, coolest songs!"  
"Those songs are ancient. We're talking 923 years ago...maybe a decade or two more!" Astro said.  
"Yeah, well like, back then the people must've been really cool to like, be able to have that kind of music!" Charmy argued back.  
"Back then people still lived on Earth!" Astro replied, clearly shocked.  
"Yeah, well like, grandma and grandpa like, lived on Earth ya know!" Charmy shrieked back.  
"THEY WERE SEVEN YEARS OLD!" Astro yelled.  
"Like, Whatever!" Charmy said as she started dancing again. "Dude, like, hurry up with that invention, Veronica's party is like starting in like, 10 minutes. Ya know Astro...Veronica does kinda have a thing for you and- "   
"No Charmy, I'm not interested. I've given up on women!" Astro interjected.  
"Look, I know Cindy was like, playing on you, but like, that doesn't mean everyone will." Charmy said trying to be a little comforting.  
"It's not just that, OK Charmy? There's more reasons..." Astro said drifting mid-sentence. Charmy knew it was best not to ask.  
"Well...let's like, get going." Charmy said.  
"Right. Aw, this piece of worthless space junk!" Astro said throwing the invention on the floor. The invention started to smoke and bounce.  
"ASTRO!" Charmy shrieked. "My BODY is like, disappearing!"  
"What?!" Astro yelled. "ACK! So is mine!" In that split second, Astro grabbed the invention. They rapidly started disappearing until none of them could be seen, hence, our story begins...  
  
On the Streets of New York City, 2000 AD:  
"Yo, Emi!" Rage called out. Rage was a handsome Caucasian, 17 years of age with spiked brown hair and fiery brown eyes. He was wearing a red vest with a black shirt under it with baggy camaflouge pants.  
"Yeah?" Emi asked. Emi was a gorgeous 16-year-old Asian American girl from Southern California with soft brown eyes and short, blue hair which was mostly covered by her white beanie. She was wearing a red shirt striped with yellow and a blue vest on top of it, along with baggy jeans and yellow-brown shoes. She recently moved to New York and mostly everyone in the school knew and liked her now.  
"Andrew said he wants to meet you in front of school in 5 minutes."  
"Oh, OK." Emi said.  
Emi started to exit the school and accidentally bumped into a weird looking girl. She was wearing black cat-like ears on her head. She had a red long sleeve shirt with matching red boots that were so long that they went into her skirt. Her skirt was black and looked like a spider-web.  
"Um...excuse me?" The weird looking girl began shyly.  
"Yeah?" Emi asked.  
"Did you by any chance see a robot with batteries on its back and a plug for a head?" The little girl asked.  
"Uhhhhhh...is this some kinda joke?" Emi asked.  
"So you haven't seen him? " The little girl asked with tears brimming in her eyes.  
"Sorry, no. I haven't seen any kind of robot at all." Emi said with pity. "Say, where are your parents? What are you doing in a high school?"  
"My parents died and I ran away from my foster parents. I'm looking for my robot in this high school...but I can't find him!" The little girl said.  
"What's your name?" Emi asked.  
"Zukin...but everyone calls me Devil-Zukin." The girl said.  
"Well, if I find...your robot, I'll tell him your looking for him." Emi said.  
"OK." Zukin said. Then she did the strangest thing. She flapped her wings and flew away from Emi.  
"This place just gets weirder and weirder." Emi mumbled. She waited in front of the school until she saw Andrew walking towards her. Andrew was 17 years old. He had blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He was one of the few people in this particular high school who had a New York accent.  
"Hey Emi!" Andrew said.  
"Hey you, what's up?" Emi asked.  
"Nothing much. Guess Rage told ya to meet me right?" Andrew asked.  
"Yeah." Emi said. "So, we still up for tomorrow?"  
"Yeah, I'll come pick you up." Andrew responded.  
"OK, I'll see ya tomorrow then."  
Emi exited the school and walked towards her home. She got home and ran upstairs to her room. There were rave fliers, Anime posters, and pictures of breakdancers on the wall next to the door. On the left there was a window. Next to the window was Emi's study desk. On her desk was a computer and empty space for schoolwork. On the wall across from the door was her bed. On the left of her bed, there was a lamp, an alarm clock and her cordless phone charger (She has her own phone line!). There was also a picture frame with seashells around its border with a picture of her friends back in California. Above her bed was banner that said "Emi's Room" in graffiti style writing with different colors. On the right side of her bed was a stereo system along with a CD rack. Under her stereo was a set of drawers. On the right wall, there was her closet. She walked into her room and threw her backpack on the floor. She took off her beanie and fell onto the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a while thinking about her day. She had to admit, Rage was kinda cute...in a semi-bad-boy kind of way...but no, she was going out with Andrew. She hugged her beanie and was deep in thought. She had worn this beanie almost everywhere. She got up from her bed and went to her closet to choose tomorrow's outfit. She took out baggy white jeans that were frayed at the bottom and a short sleeved baby blue O'Neil International shirt. She also pulled out a stylish navy blue Roxy sweater. She put her beanie on top of her clothes. She was starting her homework when her phone rang.  
"Hello?" Emi asked.  
"Yo." A male voice said back.  
"Oh, hey Rage, what's up?" Emi asked.  
"Nothing much." Rage replied. "Hey, you busy tonight?"  
"No, why?" Emi asked.  
"I'm having a party." Rage responded. "Wanna come?"  
"Sure." Emi answered. "Friday night party, eh?"  
"Yep, my parents are outa town." Rage said.  
"Oh. My mom's not even here yet." Emi said.  
"Dude, what does your mom do for a living?" Rage asked.  
"She's sell electrical items." Emi answered.  
"Your dad?" Rage asked.  
"He works with mom." Emi responded.  
"Oh. Well, come on over, the party's startin' in 10 minutes." Rage said.  
"Dude, you live across the street from me." Emi said.  
"So come early!" Rage said. Emi laughed.  
"All right. Bye!" Emi said. She hung up the phone, put her beanie on, and attached her cell phone to her waist. She ran downstairs, opened the door and walked across the street to Rage's house. Before she could ring the doorbell, he opened the door.  
"Hey Emi. Haven't talked to you in ages!" Rage greeted with sarcasm. Emi giggled and Rage let her in. Rage walked out of the way so that Emi could come in and Emi looked around.  
"So is Andy coming?" Emi asked casually.  
"Um...yeah. I think he is." Rage said with a slight look of disappointment.  
"Oh." Emi said. For a few minutes there was a tense silence.  
"So..." Emi and Rage said at the same time.  
"Uh...you first." Emi said.  
"No, you go on ahead." Rage replied.  
"No no...you go ahead." Emi said.  
"Umm...the funny thing is I really don't have anything to say." Rage replied. Emi was about to say something when the doorbell rang.  
"Oh!" Emi said.  
"I'll get it." Rage said with a brighter voice. Rage opened the door and there stood Andrew.  
"Hi Emi!" Andrew said brightly.  
"Hey!" Emi replied. Andrew came over and gave Emi a light kiss on the cheek. Emi blushed a little and Rage turned away quickly.  
"Um..." Rage began. "I...uh...think the others are going to be coming soon." Rage said.  
"Um...yeah." Emi said still blushing a little.  
"Rage, you really need to get a girlfriend, bro!" Andrew said. "I mean, you can't stay single for the rest of your life!"  
"Dude, you just don't get it." Rage said with a mischievous look. "I mean I have this waiting list to sort out. I'm taking my time choosing the right one." Rage said with a wink.  
"Haha." Andrew said with sarcasm. At that moment a bright light burst into the room. Emi and Rage felt their bodies depleting rapidly.  
"Oh my GOSH!" Emi shrieked. In less than a second Rage and Emi were gone.  
"Umm...Emi? Rage?" Andrew asked. They were nowhere to be seen. "OK, the joke's over." Andrew said. It was all worthless though because Rage and Emi were no where to be seen...  
  
At the "Dancing Diva" Club, 1962:  
"Hey girlfriend!" A girl named Tracy said. Tracy would've reminded others of an exotic African princess. She was wearing an outfit...that most kids wouldn't be suitable to see. Her hair was spiked behind her and her dark brown eyes were heavily made-up. She was wearing a leopard-skin dress with a shiny orange overcoat and fishnet stockings. Her dress was so short, one would've guessed it was 3 sizes too small for her. She had leopard skin platform boots that went up halfway between her ankles and knees.  
"Hey ya little hootchie!" Tracy's friend Alicia said. Tracy laughed and almost tripped over a cup.  
"You OK?" Alicia asked.  
"Oh yeah. I'm fine. Just fine--" Tracy interrupted herself with a hiccup. Her eyes were distant and her speech was slurred.  
"You're drunk aren't you?" Alicia asked.  
"What gives you (hiccup) that (hiccup) crazy idea?" Tracy replied, her voice was still slurred. Alicia rolled her eyes and tried carrying Tracy out of the club when Tracy screamed.  
"What is UP with you? Geez, just SHUT UP Tracy!" Alicia said warningly.  
"I'm not screaming. What's wrong with ya? I'm practically whispering." Tracy exclaimed. "Look, my fingers! They're so...strange. Did you know they wiggle?" Tracy said with her voice still slurred. The alcohol on her breath was now so strong that Alicia could smell it.   
"Geez, if this is how people look like when they're drunk, I'm never gonna touch beer again..." Alicia murmured.  
"I told ya (hiccup)! I'm not druuuunk!" Tracy yelled.  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Alicia replied. On the way out Alicia bumped into a guy on the way out.  
"Sorry..." Alicia said quickly.  
"It's OK." The guy replied.  
"OMIGAWSH!!!!" Alicia shrieked. "You're Boldo, right?"  
"Uh...yeah." Boldo replied.  
"OMIGAWSH!!! I LUV THE WAY YOU DANCE!!!" Alicia screamed.  
"Quit hollerin' I'm trying to brush my teeeeeeeth!" Tracy said, her eyes out of focus.  
"Tracy...it's Boldo!!!" Alicia yelled.  
"It is?" Tracy asked.  
"YES!!!" Alicia screamed.  
'He don't look bald to me. He has lotsa hairs if you ask me." Tracy said still in her drunken state. Alicia blushed a little.  
"Sorry about my friend. She's drunk." Alicia informed.  
"I ain't drunk!" Tracy yelled. Then she hiccuped and smiled.  
"Um...OK." Boldo replied.  
"Um...Boldo...your shoes are disappearing..." Alicia said with uncertainty.  
"Hey looky here!!! My wiggly fingers are gone. Oh! Now my hand's going bye-bye!" Tracy said laughing and hiccuping.  
Soon a bright light flashed in the still night and both Tracy and Boldo were gone...  
  
  



	2. Starting Out

In Another Dimension:  
"AHHHHH!" Charmy screamed. While she fell in a colorful sky. After a few minutes of "flying" she landed, She appeared to be floating but there was definitely something under her. Just as she was getting up, her brother flew out of the "sky" and landed on top of her.  
"Like, owww!!" Charmy grumbled.  
"Sorry sis. Couldn't help it." Astro said getting up.  
"Um...Astro, like...WHERE ARE WE?!?!?!" Charmy asked.  
"To tell you the truth...I don't really know...I think--" Astro began but was cut off when a huge robot fell on top of him.  
"Hello. I'm a robot." The robot said.  
"And your name is...?" Astro asked.  
"You may call me Konsento. My program name is Konsento 0:03" The robot said.  
"Well anyway, like, what were you saying?" Charmy asked.  
"Well I think we--" Astro began again but was then cut off when a teenage guy came flying from the "sky" and landed right in front of Charmy.  
"Ow..." Rage said getting up and dusting off his pants.  
"And who might you be?" Astro asked.  
"Well, everyone calls me Rage. And you are...?" Rage asked.  
"I'm Astro, that's Charmy, and that's Konsento." Astro replied pointing at everyone.  
"Anyway...I think we're all in a another dimension. I think when I threw down the time machine I transported us all into another dimension. By the looks of your clothes, I'd say we brought people from other time periods as well." Astro explained.  
"Ayieee!" A female voice screamed. Rage recognized who it was and caught her before she hit the floor.  
"You OK Emi?" Rage asked.  
"Um yeah..." Emi replied. Rage realized that he was holding Emi and quickly put her feet on the ground. Emi blushed and Rage laughed uneasily.  
"Ohhh...Emi and like, Rage? OHHH!!! You guys are like, such a cute couple!" Charmy squealed.  
"HUH?!?!?!" Emi asked.  
"No, no, no! You've got it all wrong!!!" Rage exclaimed.  
"Oh like, come on! You guys are like, such an adorable pair!" Charmy replied.  
"But...we're not even together." Emi said looking down and blushing a bit.  
"Yes! In fact...Emi's going out with my friend, Andrew." Rage said turning away.  
"Yeah...Andrew." Emi said distantly.  
"Ohhh!! I like, get it!" Charmy exclaimed with a ditzy sort of voice. "Sorry about that!"  
"I think it's stopped raining people." Astro interjected seeing how Rage and Emi were reacting to Charmy's comment. Just as he brought that up, a girl flew out of the sky and landed on Astro.  
"Owww!" Astro exclaimed.  
"I'm not drunk already!! I'm tellin' ya! I ain't drunk!" The girl screamed in slurred speach.  
"I didn't say you--" Astro began while getting up, but the wailing girl cut him off.  
"No I'm not! No matter what you say, I'm not! You don't know how many drinks I've had. So there!!! I'm as sober as sober can be! SOBER I SAY, SOBER!" The girl continued with hiccups and slurred words.  
"But I--" Astro began. But was cut off. Not by the screams of the girl but by the impact of another person slamming him to the ground.  
"Hey, that didn't hurt at all!" Boldo exclaimed.  
"THAT'S CUZ YA LANDED ON ME!" Astro screamed.  
"Whoa! Sorry!" Boldo said quickly getting up.  
"Hi ya Baldy!" The wailing lady screamed.  
"And hello to you Tracy..." Boldo said looking at the obviously drunken girl.  
"Where are we? Florida or something?" Tracy said looking around.  
"We're in another dimension." Astro said plainly.  
"Oh, don't try fooling me! You can only fool me with those kind of stories if I'm drunk!" Tracy said. To that everyone sighed and Tracy started to sleep.  
"Let me ask you something...WHY DOES EVERYONE LAND ON ME?!?!?" Astro yelled.  
"Personally, I like, think it's kind of funny." Charmy said between giggles. Then someone fell out of the sky and landed on her.  
"ACK!!!!" Charmy exclaimed. Astro started laughing.  
"Here's an ancient saying, sis. What goes around, comes around." Astro said while laughing. Meanwhile, the girl that fell on Charmy got up.  
"Wow, that was fun!" The girl said.  
"Uh...not for like, me!" Charmy said. The robot walked to Zukin and started talking in a monotonous voice. "Master. I've found you."  
"Z-Zukin?" Emi asked hesitantly.  
"Hey! It's you! That girl I met!" Zukin exclaimed. "Er...what's your name?"  
"Emi," Emi answered."  
"Oh...cool. You have a pretty name. Hey who're you?" Zukin asked pointing at Rage.  
"Um...my name's Rage." Rage answered.  
"Rage, eh? I think you're hot!" Zukin said.  
"Um, that's...scary." Rage replied.  
"Oh don't be silly. We'll go out on lots of dates and stuff. Come on it'll be fun!"  
"Um...no, I don't think so." Rage said with an uneasy smile.  
"Oh come on. I'm almost 12, I'm ready to be a real woman!" Zukin said walking towards Rage.  
"No...that's OK. Really...I, uh, don't deserve you." Rage said backing away.  
"Oh come on. Don't be so modest!" Zukin said.  
"Um...I have a girlfriend back home!!" Rage lied.  
"Oh phooey..." Zukin said as she stopped chasing Rage.  
"That's all I had to say?" Rage asked.  
"I know better than to go after a taken man." Zukin said.  
"She's like, scary!!!" Charmy whispered to her brother.  
"Ditto." Astro replied in a whisper.  
"Anyway..." Astro said to everyone. "What do we do now? Why are we here and what are we supposed to do?"  
"You're purpose is to dance. I have chosen all of you talented dancers to be here and show me what you can do." A booming voice said from out of no where.  
"I'M NOT DRUNK!!!!" Tracy yelled.  
"Wait a minute. We were warped to some like, unknown weirdo place to like, DANCE?!?!?!" Charmy asked incredulously.  
"You are correct Miss Charmy." The voice replied. "You are all inside of Astro's contraption. You see, that machine wasn't a time machine. It was a time WARP groove machine. That warps you to another dimension. However, when Astro threw the device on the floor it caused a slight malfunction. It caused OTHERS from other time periods come to this dimension."  
"ASTRO YOU BLOCKHEAD!" Charmy shrieked.  
"Wait...then what does dancing have to do with all of this?" Emi asked.  
"Good question Miss Emi. Well, you all want to get out of here right?" The voice asked.  
"Yes..." Emi said.  
"Well, once your dance energy reaches a certain peak you will leave. You will also leave with a mystery prize." The voice boomed.  
"What's this mystery prize?" Astro asked.  
"Well, I can't tell you." The voice replied.  
"And why not?" Astro asked.  
"Because...it's a mystery." The voice replied.  
"Oh...I see." Astro said. "Couldn't you just tell us anyway?"  
"You'll find out in time. Now...you can all go to sleep. You're going to need your energy." The voice boomed.  
"This is weird..." Boldo said.  
"I'm NOT drunk!" Tracy yelled.  
"Zukin...Konsento, tomorrow you will demonstrate the routine to them." The voice boomed.  
"As you wish." Zukin and Konsento replied.  
"What? THEY'RE going to demonstrate what to do?" Astro asked.  
"Yes. Now why don't you all just have a nice long nap." The voice asked.  
"Sure..." Emi responded. The place they were in a second ago faded and became a bedroom with 8 beds. Soon everyone figured out where they wanted to sleep and they all drifted into dreamland." 


	3. Day No. 1

The next day...  
"WHOA! My head hurts!" Tracy exclaimed the next day. "Owww!"  
"A word of advice Tracy, I think you should keep away from the alcohol." Astro said as he woke up.  
"Who're you?" Tracy asked.  
"Look we're all stuck in some weirdo other dimension." Astro explained. "I happen to be one of the people stuck with you." Tracy looked around and saw everyone still fast asleep. She looked at Astro again, then at the people sleeping then in the room around her.  
"Whoa I'm having weird dreams..." She mumbled as she turned back into bed ready to go to sleep again.  
"It's NOT a dream!" Astro said. "I should know, 4 people landed on me! Besides, do you ever feel hangovers in dreams?"  
"Er...good point." Tracy replied. Just as they were talking. Rage woke up and yawned.  
"Aw man, you guys are still here? Rage asked.  
"You think we'd be anywhere else?" Astro asked.  
"I was HOPING this whole thing would just be a dream." Rage said with exasperation. Just then Rage's eyes fell on Emi sleeping. He must've stared at her for a while because of what Astro asked him.  
"You like Emi don't you?" Astro asked.  
"No way! Dude, we're just friends. When she moved from So Cali I was the first person she met." Rage explained.  
"Listen up you," Tracy said to Rage. "The worst mistake someone could ever make is to be late when it comes to love."  
"Oh, so you WERE drunk yesterday." Rage commented.  
"ARGHH, never mind..." Tracy said. Just then Emi woke up.  
"Good morning!" Emi said with a yawn. Just as Emi woke up, Charmy woke up too.  
"Hey, where's robo-dude and freaky chick?" Charmy asked seeing that they weren't there anymore.  
"Who knows." Tracy replied. "HEY BALDY, WAKE UP!" Tracy yelled.  
"AHHH. I'M UP I'M UP!" Boldo yelled. "Hey, you're not drunk anymore, right?" Boldo asked uneasily.  
"OHHH!!! YOU GUYS ARE SOO MEAN!!!!" Tracy yelled.  
"I was just kidding!" Boldo said.  
"So...you're all awake now." The voice boomed. "Let's get started. Zukin. Konsento. Demonstration please."  
"The name of the game is Dance Dance Revolution!" Zukin announced. "The object of the game is to dance...and have fun! The 'voice' that you hear is our boss. He will compliment or criticize your techniques. Konsento!! Show them the groove-gauge."  
"Yes master." The monotone robot said and he pointed upwards to where a gauge was. The gauge was at zero.  
"You are to fill up that gauge. The better your dance performance, the higher the gauge is filled. When the gauge fills up all the way, you will be freed from this other dimension." Konsento said without any emotion.  
"This is surreal. I mean first we're warped to some weird, freakish dimension. THEN we find out that the way to get out is to DANCE? I mean, of all the ways to get out of some weird dimension!" Emi commented.  
"I agree. This is way to weird..." Rage said.  
"Yeah well like, we might as well dance because like, we don't have any other choice." Charmy said.  
"I guess your right...but I feel like a total idiot. I mean this 'voice' is going to compliment or criticize me. Does anyone else find this weird?" Emi asked.  
"Look, it's weird, but deal with it. We've got no other choice." Astro said.  
"There's gotta be some other way out I mean--" Emi said, but Astro cut her off.  
"Well there isn't any other KNOWN way!!!" Astro snapped. "And furthermore, stop complaining about this! I mean, we don't have another choice! Just drop it already!"  
"Alright, alright...geez, you don't have to get so uptight." Emi mumbled.  
"Don't yell at her for letting her feelings out. We have a right to be confused." Rage argued to Astro.  
"Oh, so this porcupine head is going to argue with me now?!?!?!" Astro argued back.  
"Hey!!!! DON'T...DISS...THE...HAIR!!!" Rage ordered.  
"And what's Mr. Porcupine gonna do about it?" Astro said in a baby voice.  
"I'll show you what Mr. Porcupine's FIST can do!!!" Rage yelled balling up his fist.  
"You guys, like STOP!" Charmy screamed.  
"Rage calm down..." Emi said gently. Emi's gentle tone made Rage relax.  
"Yo, sorry man." Rage mumbled.  
"Me too." Astro mumbled back.  
"Now that we're all settled, why don't we start off now?" The voice said.  
"So you're going to be our DJ?" Tracy asked.  
"Correct Miss Tracy." The voice said.  
"So what should we call you?" Tracy asked.  
"How about...Mr. DJ?" The voice boomed.  
"Alrighty then..." Tracy said.  
"First pair!" Zukin said.  
"The spacey, crazy duo...give it up for Charmy aaaaaaaand Astro!" The voice boomed in a very DJ-like voice. "Select a song!" The DJ-like voice said. A huge screen appeared with a HGUE selection of songs. Charmy gawked in wonder.  
"So many, like songs to choose from!!" Charmy exclaimed. "How about...like, 'Follow the Sun'?" Charmy asked.  
"Show me your hottest moves!" The DJ said. The bright and chipper song started to play. Charmy and Astro started to dance with all they had. They were futurish popish dancers. They started dancing and by the time they finished they were sweating.  
"Yo, is it really that hard?" Rage asked.  
"Yeah. You feel compelled to dance to the music and soon...physical pain doesn't matter. It's more or less a type of physical pain eraser, but you can still feel tired when you're through." Astro said while panting.  
"And in English that would mean...?" Rage asked.  
"Next up! Give it up for E-mi aaaaand Rage!" The DJ announced. "Select a song!"  
"How about...hmmm, "Dynamite Rave?" Rage asked.  
"OK by me." Emi replied.  
"Give it your best shot!" The DJ responded. The music blared and like Astro said, Rage felt like he had a need to dance. The vibes of the music seemed to flow through every vein in his body. Soon he was breaking to the hip sounds of "Dynamite Rave". He chose this song for a special reason...Emi's favorite band was Naoki. He realized just then as he watched her dance and as his body moved to the music, that he would give anything to make Emi smile. Her smile seemed to lighten up his day no matter what had happened before. He wanted so badly to be more than just a friend to her...maybe someday he would be...  
The song came to an end and with the songs end, his hopes came to and end as he thought bitterly, "She doesn't like me...she likes Andrew." He wanted to be her boyfriend. Not just "close friend", but what could he say? He couldn't just come up to her and tell her. Besides, if the other guys find out he was rejected by "Andrew's Girl", he'd might as well be dead. "It's best to just grin and bear it." He thought silently.  
"Phew! That was one workout!" Emi exclaimed.  
"Uh...yeah..." Rage said distracted. He forced a smile and made a bitter laugh.  
"Something wrong?" Emi asked.  
"No." Rage said glaring as he turned away and went to talk to Boldo. Charmy saw this and walked up to Emi.  
"Like, what's up with him?" She asked.  
"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Emi replied.  
"Call me crazy, but I think Rage like, has a major crush on you." Charmy said trying to be considerate.  
"You're crazy!" Emi said while she started to walk away.  
"Emi..." Charmy said.  
"Look Charmy, the way he just looked at me...," Emi said close to tears. She would never forget that glare. Rage's eyes were shining and it seemed to pierce her heart like an arrow piercing an animal's flesh.  
"Well, like, maybe that's because you have a boyfriend already and he feels there's nothing he can, like, do!" Charmy replied.  
"Don't be stupid!" Emi responded with a single tear sliding down her cheek.  
"Well un-fortunately that's like, the only thing I'm good at doing!" Charmy yelled. Then Charmy saw that Emi was close to tears. Emi was biting her tongue and willing herself to stop being so childish and yet, it seemed like the only mature thing she could do. She felt like a total baby for having her heart being ripped apart because of a guy. Charmy hugged her and apologized.  
"I'm sorry, Emi." Charmy offered.  
"It's OK." Emi said with her eyes watering.  
Rage didn't know why he was walking to Boldo but he knew he could never look at Emi again. She looked so sad when he unleashed a silent fury towards her that he never knew he could unleash at Emi. He didn't say anything; he just gave her an ice-cold glare. He knew that he was never the best at controlling his temper...but never in his mind did he ever imagine being able to show her a single ounce of his hot-tempered side. What he had just done didn't show her an ounce...it showed her a gallon. What could he do now? He turned his head to see her and he saw her talking to Charmy with her eyes starting to water.  
"Figures...that's what I get for being an ass." Rage thought.  
"Next pair! Boldo and racy Tracy!" The DJ announced. "Pick your poison!"  
"So many songs...so little time...how about "So Many Men?" Tracy said. Boldo shrugged and a slow song (courtesy of "Me & My") began to play while Tracy and Boldo showed off their moves. At the end of the song, Boldo and Tracy felt as exhausted as everyone else. Tracy took out some beer from a flask in her jacket. Everyone sighed as she drank greedily knowing that she would once again be drunk.  
Emi and Charmy watched Boldo and Tracy dance and Emi discovered something that she never thought she'd ever discover before. It wasn't Andrew she liked...it was Rage. Rage and his crooked grin...Rage and his bad-boy attitude...everything about Rage. Once again she felt like crying...once again she willed herself to stop. When Tracy and Boldo stopped dancing, Konsento and Zukin started to dance. The cycle repeated: Charmy & Astro, Emi & Rage, Tracy and Boldo, Zukin and Konsento. It went about 3 times around. Every time Rage and Emi were going to dance, Rage didn't look at her at all. Every time they danced, Emi felt cold as ice even though she was sweating and her body was flaming with heat from dancing.  



	4. Tears of Sadness

Emi sat down tired from dancing. Her heart felt torn and her body was worn. She was alone without anyone there...not even Charmy. She hugged her knees and cried. She felt so broken. He breaths came out as sobs and quivers. She let the tears spill on her shirt and silently wept. Her vision became blurred but she didn't care.  
Charmy walked up to Rage. She felt angry that anyone would do this to Emi. "Hey you, we like, need to talk." Charmy said.  
"So talk." Rage replied.  
"In private." Charmy said coolly.  
"Fine." Rage said shrugging. They walked away from the rest of the group and stopped walking. Charmy turned to Rage. "What's wrong with you?" She asked.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Rage replied.  
"Dammit, yes you do!" Charmy shrieked. "I want you to like, apologize to Emi!"  
"Why should I?" Rage yelled. Charmy was shocked at his tone but swallowed and continued.  
"You like her don't you?" Charmy asked.  
"No..." Rage said.  
"YES YOU DO!" Charmy screamed. Her eyes were pleading...she shared Emi's pain.  
"Yeah...as a friend. Nothing more." Rage said.  
"Rage...please...tell Emi you're sorry." Charmy pleaded.  
"I didn't do anything." Rage said hotly fighting back his emotions.  
"YOU, LIKE SAW HER!!!! SHE WAS CRYING!!!" Charmy screamed.  
"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about." Rage replied. He started to walk away but Charmy pulled him back.  
"She likes you too, Rage." She said her eyes tearing. Rage looked at Charmy for a few moments.  
"She...she like's Andrew." Rage said glaring. "Not me."  
"No...she...doesn't." Charmy said. She was on the brink of crying. Rage was about to walk away again when he heard something...someone was crying, and it wasn't Charmy.  
"Emi..." he whispered. He slowly walked to where he heard the sobs. He saw Emi hugging her knees and crying. She was trying to fight her tears but the struggle was futile.  
"If only I never moved." Emi said bitterly. "I would've never met Andrew...or Rage. I wouldn't have been going through this. And the truth is...I really like Rage."  
Rage was standing there and listened to Emi's words. Charmy was right! Emi liked him...not Andrew! He knew that he had to apologize. He stepped out of the shadows and tapped Emi.  
Emi felt a jolt as someone tapped her. She slowly turned around and saw the person she hadn't expected to see...the last person she expected to see. She didn't know what to do so she just looked up at him. "Can I sit here?" Rage asked pointing to a spot next to Emi.  
"Sure..." Emi said slowly. She felt like crying again.  
"Emi..um...well, I'm...I'm sorry." Rage mumbled.  
"Why should you be?" She asked.  
"I didn't mean to...hurt you. In fact, it's the last thing in the world I ever expected to do." He replied.  
"Well you did it...and you didn't seem to be so sorry." Emi said starting to cry again. Rage knew that his words wouldn't convince Emi...but maybe his actions would...  
"Well I am now." Rage said taking Emi into his arms and hugging her tightly. Emi was surprised and thought of hitting Rage and yelling, but she felt so safe and comfortable in Rage's arms. he held her for a few minutes while she slowly stopped crying. He backed away and put his hands on her face and wiped away her tears. He looked at her and gazed deeply into her soft brown eyes. He gently moved his face closer to hers and she moved closer to him. Their eyes closed and their lips met in a kiss.  
Emi's heart was beating. One minute she was crying because Rage broke her heart, now she was kissing him. She was surprised at how right this felt. She was also glad...her first kiss! They broke away from the kiss at the same time. They looked at each other and for a few moments just gazed into each other's eyes. Rage slowly put his arm around her and Emi leaned on his shoulder. Today was the best day of her life...everything was right again.  



	5. Not Quite Perfect...Yet

Charmy hid behind a wall and glimpsed Rage and Emi kissing. "Good." She thought as she slipped away into the shadows...  
  
"Whoa!!! Does alcohol affect people or what?" Tracy said on the brink of becoming drunk yet again. Everyone sighed as Tracy hiccuped and giggled.  
"Wow...I feeeeel goood." Tracy sang with her eyes crossed and her body crooked. Just then, Rage and Emi appeared. Their fingers were locked together and they were smiling. Charmy followed behind them.  
"Hey! Well what do you know?" Astro said. "It's EMI and RAGE."  
"Hey you two (hiccup) party peoples." Tracy said slurring her words.  
"Oh Rage, what was all that BS about you liking Emi as 'just a friend'?" Astro said nudging Rage. Rage laughed nervously and didn't respond. Charmy smiled at everyone. She realized that everyone had become very close friends...well ALMOST everyone. She realized that Boldo hardly ever talked. He was just sorta silent and kept to himself.  
"He's weird..." Charmy thought. She then turned her attention to Tracy who was counting her fingers.  
"...eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen..." Tracy said in her drunk and dazed state.  
"Um Tracy, you only have ten fingers on both hands." Astro said.  
"Shaddup!" Tracy snapped. "I (hiccup) caaaan count and any idiot can CLEARLY see that there are fourteen fingers on each hand!"  
"Riiight..." Astro said.  
"I AM right...Tracy ish alwaaaaays right!" Tracy replied  
"You're weird." Boldo said as he turned and walked away. Charmy watched him and shrugged. "He's REALLY weird."  
Rage and Emi laughed at Tracy, but believe it or not, they were both nervous. Rage was nervous about making the right impression on Emi...HE was actually the experienced one and yet his heart was pounding at the site of the beautiful young girl holding his hand. He'd never been with anyone like this before. Emi was nervous because this was her first REAL boyfriend. Sure, she's had other guys but never someone like Rage. She felt her heart beating rapidly at the sight of Rage and the touch of his warm hands.  
"Tracy...don't blame me if you get a MAJOR headache tomorrow.  
"Who me? Naaaaaw. Not gunna haaaapin (happen)." Tracy said.  
"Primitive being..." Astro mumbled.  
"What joo say (What did you say)?" Tracy asked.  
"Nothing..." Astro said with a grin.  
Tracy started singing. "A-B-C...1-2-3..."  
"She's one crazy chick." Rage mumbled.  
"Got that right." Emi said.  
"Well now, I think it's time we dance again assuming we haven't done so in quite some time now." Mr. DJ said.  
"Daaaaance the niiiiiight awaaaaaay!!!" Tracy yelled while hiccuping.  
"And I see that you are once again drunk." The DJ said. "Well no matter. Charmy, Astro! You're up!"  
"Cool!" Charmy said with a smile.  
"Ditto." Astro said.  
"Select a song!" The DJ said enthusiastically.  
"How about...Wonderland?" Astro asked.  
"Gotcha!" "Up and kiss da body!" DJ mimicked. A fast upbeat song played and Charmy and Astro showed off their futuristic style as they moved to the music."  
"Nice!" The DJ said as the song ended. And yet again, the groups danced again. Following the same cycle. Each song seemed to bring something out of their soul and the music made them feel warm inside.  
"You know Emi...I'm kinda glad we came here..." Rage whispered to her.  
"Yeah...but everything isn't exactly perfect." Emi said with her voice trembling. They looked into each other's eyes and nodded. "Andrew..." They both said. 


	6. Lesson One: Be True to Yourself

"Andrew." Emi and Rage repeated again. "We've got to tell him..." Emi began. Rage finished her sentence, "Sooner or later."  
They hugged each other.  
"I don't want to...hurt him. I really don't. I never knew that this would happen." Emi said.  
"I know...neither did I." Rage said.  
"I wonder when we'll be getting back...I guess...I guess I should tell him sooner or later." Emi said.  
"Me too...after all, I kinda liked you back then too." Rage said.  
"Rage, I knew you would always be the right one for me...I felt it...but I ignored my feelings for you to go out with Andrew  
because he told me he liked me first." Emi said. "I lied to myself this whole time...I wasn't true."  
"I should've said something sooner." Rage said.  
"Me too..." Emi said. "I just...didn't think that anything would ever happen between us...outside the boundary of friendship."  
"Friendship..." Rage repeated.  
"I promise you that my feelings toward you are true Rage...I can't deny that...I never will." Emi said.  
"I know...WE can't deny our feelings." Rage said.  
"They're too strong to ignore." They both said at the same time.  
"Emi...the first thing we're going to do when we get back is tell Andrew the truth." Rage said.  
"The truth...the truth...the truth..." Those words echoed in Emi's head...she knew what she had to do.  
"I know..." Emi said. They hugged each other closer.  
"It's...a promise." They both said as they embraced.  
"In the meanwhile...we SHOULD try our best to enjoy ourselves. We can't be sad forever. We have to hold ourselves up high  
and take what we deserve." Rage said.  
"It's our punishment...we weren't faithful to our feelings and now...we've got to take what's coming to us." Emi said.  
"For right now...we need to dance and get out of here. Let's worry about Andrew when we get back." Rage said.  
"Right." Emi said with agreement. She nodded her head. They released from their hug and looked at each other for a brief  
moment. They knew that in this world, they were dancers and nothing else. The first thing they had to achieve was to get out of  
this kooky world...to do so, they had to dance. They walked towards the other group members with fire burning in their eyes.  
They had a mission...they had to dance.   



	7. The Group Unites

Emi and Rage walked back to the others. Their hands were linked together and they had fierce determination shining in their eyes.  
"What's up?" Astro asked.  
"Fourteeeeeeen fingers!" Tracy sang. "I've got fourteen!"  
"Not you Tracy, Emi and Rage." Astro explained. Tracy giggled and hiccuped.  
"Hey you young lovers!" Tracy said.  
"Don't tell me..." Emi began, but Rage finished the sentence for her. "She's drunk again."  
"Unfortunately she is." Boldo said.  
"Wow-wee! That's got to be the first time you've ever said anything!" Tracy exclaimed.  
"Shuddap." Boldo said.  
"Maaaaaaake me!!" Tracy sang.  
"Bitch..." Boldo mumbled.  
"Zat (that) wasn't very nice Baldy! Apologize!" Tracy demanded.  
"No thanks." Boldo said turning to walk away. He didn't want to be like them. He couldn't ignore the fact that they...even Tracy...were beginning to get closer together.  
"Not me." Boldo said. He was always the mysterious type who never said much and made people guess what he was thinking. He never WAS very popular.  
"Boldo...like, why do you never talk?" Charmy asked him.  
"I don't have much to say." He responded.  
"Why don't you like, even ATTEMPT to join us in conversation?" Charmy asked.  
"Because...I don't feel like it." Boldo said. Everyone (even Tracy!) was silent and watching what was going on between Charmy and Boldo.  
"Didn't you ever, like, think for once that maybe, like, we were sent here to become friends." Charmy asked.  
"No." Boldo said simply. Charmy could see this was going nowhere. She decided to do the one thing she COULD do to make him open up to them. She walked up to Boldo and hugged him. Boldo started at Charmy who was hugging him. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he probably looked stupid just standing there. He hugged Charmy back. For the first time, he felt needed. He looked at the others over his glasses and thought, "Maybe, just maybe I could find friendship in them." Just as the thought raced through his mind he heard applause. He looked at Emi who was clapping...then Rage started clapping...then Astro...soon everyone (including Konsento and Zukin) were clapping.  
"C'mon Boldo!" Rage said. Charmy and Boldo rushed to the circle of friends and joined in.  
"Group hug!" Emi declared. Everyone hugged each other and laughed. Even Tracy, who was still oblivious in her drunken state, hugged everyone. Boldo smiled for the first time in what seemed like years...then he chuckled...then he joined in with the laughter. For the first time, he felt truly...needed.  



	8. Final Decision

"The gauge is almost full." Zukin said.  
"I know." The DJ responded.  
"They will have to...go back soon." Zukin said. "They have so much love and trust towards each other. Even I, a mere puppet  
girl, can feel their emotions."  
"They can't stay here forever." The DJ said.  
Zukin swallowed. "That's what hurts..."  
  
Everyone laughed as they each talked about the changing times in the future. Of course Boldo was still quiet (not to mention not  
smiling), but he was listening. Suddenly, a door opened. Zukin walked out. She looked a bit said and stressed, but everyone  
else ignored it.  
"It's...it's time to dance." Zukin said with hesitation trembling in her voice.  
"Zukin, what's wrong?" Emi asked.  
"I, well...oh nothing." Zukin said. Tears filled her eyes. Emi knelt down and hugged her. "Tell me." She said.  
"This...this may be the last time we see each other." Zukin said. Everyone stared at her.  
"NO!" Charmy shrieked, breaking the silence.  
"We can't leave!" Emi said.  
"Not after we've all become so..." Astro said. Zukin cried and Emi patted her back.  
"I'm sorry." Zukin whispered. "It...it will happen soon."  
"She's correct." The DJ said. 'It will happen soon...LAST PAIR!" Everyone looked at him. "I want you to decide who the  
people will be...the last people who will dance for this protected world. Everyone looked at each other.  
"I think...it should be Emi and Rage." Charmy said finally.  
"I agree..." Astro said.  
"Me too." Boldo said.  
"Emi...Rage, it's all yours now." Tracy said with a smile. Emi and Rage smiled at the others. "Thanks." Emi said.  
Rage grinned. "If it's our last time dancing, then we'll make sure it's a kick-ass dance." Emi and Rage squeezed their hands.  
"Select a song!" The DJ said.  
"Emi...you choose the song this time." Rage said. They looked through all the songs. She decided to do a song that nobody else  
did yet.  
"I choose..."   



	9. Going Home

"I choose 'Mr. Wonderful'..." Emi said. "Because I've finally found him here." Everyone (except Boldo) smiled. The sweet upbeat song played throughout every where. Emi started to dance. She danced using every single bit of her energy. If this was going to be the last time here she was going to give it all her body could take...even more if she had to. She felt the vibration of the music and felt her soul heat up. It reminded her of a poem...  
  
Passion fills you as the music enters your body  
You can feel the temperature in your body rise  
Rising slowly...the beats of music pounding with the beats of your heart  
Rhythm...the fast pace  
The quick movements  
Life's too short to let this slip away  
Feel the sensation...your on fire  
The fire slowly consumes your willing soul  
You dance with all you've got  
You're dancing because your mind needs it  
Dancing because you're consumed in flames  
The flames of dancing deep within you  
The heat filling you as you dance...  
  
The heat was definitely filling her. She could feel her body engulfed in flames. Everything was right, yet everything was wrong. She didn't want to go back.  
"1, 2, 3, 4..." Emi repeated in her mind to stay on beat. She danced to the music. She danced because she was a dancer...one of the many. A mere spark in the entire flame. She looked at the faces of all her friends. She knew she would miss them. The song came to an end and the meter slowly filled up...  
  
Everyone hugged each other. They exchanged. "I'll remember you forever."s and "I'll miss you."s.  
"It's time..." The DJ boomed.  
"Wait a minute...what about our 'mystery prize'?" Astro asked.  
"You already have it." The DJ said.  
"Huh?" Astro asked.  
"Don't you see?" Emi began. "We have a friendship stronger than anything in the world. We care for each other like family and we all have an urge to protect each other...THAT'S our 'mystery prize'." Emi said.  
"Join hands." The DJ said. Everyone joined hands.  
"Now...close your eyes and visualize where you were originally from...once you open your eyes, you'll be there again." Everyone looked at each other. Charmy had tears running down her cheek.  
"Let's do it." Charmy said. Everyone nodded. "I'll miss you all!!!" Everyone said as they slowly closed their eyes. They kept them closed for a while...almost afraid to open go back...but they couldn't leave them closed forever. Everyone breathed. They all opened their eyes. They were all home...but this time, home didn't seem so welcoming.  



	10. Returning Members

Emi and Rage sat in front of Emi's window. They recollected their memories of the other world. It has been 1 year and 5 months. Emi was 17 and Rage had just turned 19. They sighed looking out of the window. They missed everyone. Emi did end up telling Andrew her true feelings. He didn't take it to well (he punched Rage in the nose), but he now felt better about it. Rage was visiting from college. As it turns out, when they returned time wasn't changed at all. They sighed remembering everything they went through. "I want...I want to go back." Emi said.  
"Me too." Rage replied. They hugged each other tightly.  
"I want to see them all again." Emi said.  
"You're wish has been granted." Rage said with a smile. Emi looked downwards and saw that her feet were disappearing. She smiled knowingly. Emi and Rage linked their hands and were once again venturing to the other world...  
  
"ASTRO!" Charmy shrieked. "Look!!!" Her hand was rapidly disappearing. "We're going back!!!!!!" Charmy squealed. "YAHOOO!!!!" Soon Charmy was gone. Astro smiled seeing his left hand vanish. Then he remembered everyone landing on him and quickly grabbed a pillow. "Here we go again." Astro thought with a smile.  
  
"Baldy, Baldy, Look! My hand's fading away!" Tracy yelled.  
"Don't you mean your wiggling 14 fingers." Boldo said with a smirk.  
"Shuddap!" Tracy yelled.  
  
This time they weren't going by themselves...  



	11. The New People

Southern California 2001  
Ni-Na danced energetically to the music. Her body moved to the beat. She moved to the quick rhythm of the fast music. Her blue-violet eyes were showing brighter and flashier than ever with her stunning deep-cut blue-violet halter-top. All this was topped of with a tiny stone on her forehead. She eyed a guy who had been staring at her for a while. His deep brown hair and mystical brown eyes seemed to bore right into her. "Well, if he wants me, he'll have to come and get me." Ni-Na thought with satisfaction. As if he was psychic, he started walking towards her.  
"You new around here?" He asked. He was wearing a shirt with a bright rainbow pattern on it. He had a beanie on his head and reminded Ni-Na of those snowboarders from Mammoth Mountain. She gave him a flirtatious smile.  
"It's my first time here." Ni-Na said.  
"You mean you just moved to SoCali?" He asked.  
"No...I mean it's my first time at this club." Ni-Na replied.  
"Oh..." He said. He paused for a second then began again. "What's you're name?"  
"Ni-Na." She said. "And you are...?" She asked with a flirty look.  
"Izam." He said simply.  
"Izam is it?" She asked.  
"Yeah." He said. She decided that this was going no where. She lifted her slender arms around him and kissed him passionately on the lips.  
"What do you think about me Izam?" She asked after pulling herself away.  
"You're...beautiful." He said.  
"Just beautiful?" She asked.  
"And...sexy." He said. She smiled with her deep red lips. "This always worked on the other guys." she thought with a smile. "It's obvious, he likes me."  
"You...you wanna dance?" Izam asked, interrupting her thoughts.  
"Sure." she said. She went back to her thoughts again. "He's cute...but not my type. I'll just dump him tonight and find someone worthy tomorrow." The song ended and when he wasn't looking, Ni-Na made an escape. As she walked away from the heat of the party, she let her fair skin glow in the moonlight. She knew who she was...she knew WHAT she was...a player, that's what. Another girl who just played with the hearts of guys. She smiled with pride. No guy's ever been able to resist her pull...unless of course Emi was involved. Ni-Na glared at the thought of Emi. She was the perfect girl at school. She was gorgeous, nice, and not to mention she actually LIKED the guys she went out with. She scowled as she let the warm breeze touch her skin. "No matter," Ni-Na thought. "She's gone now." She smiled with delight. Now that Emi was out of the picture, she could do anything she wanted to. SHE was the queen of the school. The one that all the younger people admired. She smiled again. "Emi moved to New York...and now I'm here in SoCali with all the guys wrapped around my finger." She thought. The wind started blowing harder, only she felt the wind wasn't touching her feet. She looked down. Her feet were vanishing! Then came her waist...her hand...soon, Ni-Na wasn't there anymore...  
Izam looked outside for Ni-Na. He really felt something for her. He saw her disappearing and wanted to scream, only he wasn't THERE to scream anymore.  
  
Riverdale High 1954:  
Jenny walked down the halls in her cheerleader uniform. She let her cold stare towards all the "un-popular" people dig into their souls. "They're SO losers." She thought as she walked down the halls. She saw one of her friends who was in the cheerleading squad with her and gave her a warm, friendly smile. They walked down the hall together. Yet again, she saw Johnny waiting for her. "He is SUCH a total loser!" She thought with dissatisfaction.  
"H-hey Jenny." He said nervously. She flounced by him and ignored him.  
"Bye Jens!" Jenny's friend said.  
"Bye." She said cheerfully. Soon after, her face turned into a cold glare again. Johnny was still following her.  
"I like your shoes." He said.  
"Get lost." She replied rolling her eyes and turning the corner. He ignored that comment. "I...I like what you did to your hair." He offered.  
"Johnny...WHAT DO I NEED TO SAY TO GET YOU TO STOP FOLLOWING ME AROUND?!?!" She yelled.  
"I live only for you Jenny..." he said. "I can't stop following you around."  
"Look dweeb...STOP...FOLLOWING...ME!!!" She screamed.  
"You look so cute when you're angry." He said.  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She yelled as she opened the door to the girl's locker room and slammed it shut. She changed into her shorts and shirt and walked back out.  
"Please don't let him be there." She thought. "Please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh ple--"  
"Hey Jenny." Johnny said by the door.  
"Ugh! You slime...go away!" She said.  
"Can't Jenny, babe! I love you!" He sang.  
"Loser!" She said as she turned and walked away again. She walked up the alley towards her house with Johnny following.  
"Um...Jenny, you're hands are gone." Johnny said nervously.  
"LOOK JOHNNY! I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTIONG BUT STUPID LIES LIKE--" She looked at her hands. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She yelled.  
"Whoa! Me too!" Johnny exclaimed. His hands were disappearing as well. "OH MY--" he began but her couldn't continue. He and Jenny were no where in sight.  
  
Police Force 1984:  
"Akira!" Yuni yelled. "It's opened. The time portal is open!"  
"Let's get going. we're going to find out about this other world." Akira replied. Yuni and Akira ran through the porthole that opened. They were on their way to the other world too...  



	12. Changes in the Game

"HEEEEEEERRRRRRREEEEEEEE WEEEEEEEEEE GOOOOOOOO!" Charmy yelled as she flew down towards the familiar colorful sky. Astro was the first to land (he put the pillow under him to break him fall). Charmy painfully landed next to him (pillowless). "Ouch..." Charmy said. Another familiar scream drifted in the air.  
"EYAAAA!!!" Emi yelled with excitement.  
"HELL YEAH!!!!" Rage's voice said. They landed next to Charmy and Astro (Astro had the pillow over him to shield him in case they landed on him. Emi stood up and wiped the dust off her blue capris with baby blue trim. Her trademark beanie was still there, but her clothes had changed. She was wearing a plaid shirt that flared at the end of the sleeves. She looked a little different...older. Emi and Charmy exchanged hugs. Charmy too had changed. She was wearing a silvery-white helmet with a pink stripe. She was wearing a body-tight dress with a dark gray stripe down the sides. The bottom of her skirt had dark gray stripes running across it and her legs had metallic silver-white tights. Just as Rage was getting up, Boldo fell on top of him.  
"Why is it that YOU never get hurt while coming here?" Astro asked remembering Boldo landing on top of him last time. Astro was wearing his visor-like object over his eyes...as usual. He had high boots and striped aluminum-like pants. His arms were striped to match his legs and he had a black vest-like top.  
"Who knows." Boldo shrugged. Rage got up rubbing his stomach where Boldo had landed. Boldo still looked the same with his purple disco suit and sunglasses, but Rage had changed a little from last time. Rage was wearing his signature army camaflouge pants with a long-sleeved white shirt that had an orange t-shirt over it. He still had his brown hair done in spikes.  
"What EXACTLY do those visor thingies do?" Emi asked.  
"These optical enhancers?" Astro asked. Emi looked dumfounded and Charmy explained.  
"They help his see. He screwed up his vision because he was always in front of a computer." Charmy said.  
"They were SUPPOSED to be vision-safe monitors!" Astro yelled.  
"I know. I know." Charmy said. "You've told me about a million times."  
"Well it's tru--" Astro exclaimed, but he was cut off by a familiar scream.   
"WAAAAHOOOO!!!!" Tracy's voice echoed as she landed on top of Rage.  
"OOF!" Rage exclaimed while getting up again. Everyone paused to stare at Tracy...making sure she wasn't intoxicated again.  
"I'm not drunk this time." Tracy said. They stared harder.  
"I mean it!" Tracy yelled. They laughed as she dusted off her clothes. Her hair was still done in outrageous spikes, but her outfit had changed. She was wearing a multi-colored colored sports-bra top with a super-skimpy multi-colored skirt leaving her belly exposed. She had a multi-colored headband to match her very colorful multi-colored clothes. She was wearing a lime-green sleeveless coat over her clothes and near-knee-high white boots.  
"What're you supposed to be? A rainbow?" Rage teased.  
"Shuddap!" Tracy said.  
"No! She's an ice cream store!" Emi exclaimed. Everyone laughed.  
Astro handed Rage his pillow.  
"What the hell?" Rage asked not knowing what Astro was doing.  
"You might need it." Astro explained. A figure was approaching them from a distance...could it be...?  
"Emi!!!" Zukin shrieked. She ran to Emi and hugged her.  
"Hey Zukin!" Emi said warmly. Following Zukin came a robot that looked like Konsento.  
"I am the new an improved Konsento:03/2." Konsento said with his still-monotonous voice.  
"Us puppet-people have new friends!" Zukin said while pointing to two other approaching figures.  
"You're a puppet?" Emi asked. Zukin nodded and the other two figures came into view.  
"Hello, I'm Maid-Zukin." Another puppet-girl said. She was wearing a purple catsuit with a purple dress and a white lacy apron.  
"And I'm Robo2000." A robot next to Maid-Zukin said. He was baby blue and appeared to be wearing something similar to clothes. A vacuum was connected to him and Maid-Zukin held the vacuum.  
"We were once dancers, but now we would like to keep your new rooms nice and clean." Maid-Zukin explained with a cheery smile.  
"The others should be coming soon." Zukin said.  
"The oth--" Rage was about to say, but a guy landing on top of him cut him off.  
"Who the hell are you?" Rage asked.  
"My name is Izam."  
"Hey Astro, I'm beginning to see why you gave me this pillow." Rage said waving the pillow. Another girl flew out of the sky, but this time she landed on top of Emi.  
"HOLY SHIT! IT'S YOU!" The girl said scrambling to her feet and pointing at Emi. Emi looked at the girl for a minute. Then she registered who she was and kept silent.  
"SHIT! Of all the people to get stuck with!" The girl said.  
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!" Rage demanded. The girl stopped and looked at Rage. She gave him a sweet smile.  
"Oh...I thought she was someone else." She said meekly.  
"No you didn't...Ni-Na." Emi said.  
"Who the hell is this bitch?" Rage asked with anger.  
"She was this girl at my old school. You could say we didn't get along well." Emi said not showing any type of emotion toward Ni-Na.  
"Don't you dare insult Emi!!!" Rage hollered.  
"I...I didn't mean it." Ni-Na said. Emi rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Rage put a protective arm around Emi. They walked away from Ni-Na together. Ni-Na glared at them.  
"Damn Emi always gets the good guys." She thought. "Look at that cute face...and that ass...he's so HOT!"  
"Nice to see you too." Izam said with a slight glare. Ni-Na looked at him and smiled. "What's with that face Izam?" She asked.  
"Take a wild guess." Izam said.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ni-Na said innocently.  
"Oh really?" Izam said. "Oh let's just simplify this for you: YOU ARE A PLAYER!"  
"Who me?" Ni-Na said batting her eyelashes. Izam turned around and walked away from her. She stood there alone as everyone else had left with Emi and Rage. She slowly walked towards the others. "I feel like I'm meeting my executioner at the chopping block." Ni-Na thought glumly. She quietly joined the group and was shunned by the others.  
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" A young girl screamed, interrupting Ni-Na's thoughts.  
She flew out of the sky and landed on top of Charmy. She got up, stunned. She patted her shoulder-length blonde hair and took out a mirror to make sure her makeup was still intact. Everyone stared at her.  
"What?" She said icily.  
"Bitch..." Rage and Boldo mumbled. She was wearing a white shirt with a green shirt over it. There were light green stripes on her shirt and she was wearing short light brown shorts and knee-high boots. She quickly fixed up her mussed hair and made sure everything was in place. No sooner had she checked everything, a guy flew out of the sky and landed on top of her.  
"OHMIGOSH! Jenny babe, are you OK?" He asked frantically.  
"Johnny! You MESSED UP MY HAIR!" She yelled.  
"I'm so sorry!!" He said bowing down to her. "Forgive me!" She rolled her eyes and walked away. Johnny got up. He had a white shirt on with bell-bottom jeans and brown shoes. He was wearing a pinkish-purplish shirt over his white one and his hair was done in a John Travolta 50s hairstyle. Everyone gawked at him.  
"What did you come out of...'Grease'?" Rage asked.  
"No, but that was a good movie. It came out last year." Johnny said.  
"THEY'RE FROM THE 50s!!!" Rage exclaimed.  
"Well DUH!" Jenny said. "I mean, no one from the 1800s are alive you know."  
"Yeah, but I'm from year 2001." Rage said. For the first time, Jenny looked around. Ni-Na, Johnny, and Izam followed suit.  
"WHERE THE HELL ARE WE?" Jenny shrieked. She was on the verge of having a heart attack.  
"Whoa WHOA! Calm down!" Astro said. "We're in another dimension." Jenny blinked.  
"CALM DOWN? WE'RE IN SOME FUNKY OTHER WORLD AND YOU'RE TELLING ME TO BE "CALM"? WHERE'S YOUR BRAIN?" Jenny shrieked.  
"Well for YOU it may be your first time here, but it isn't for us." Astro said.  
"You mean...you've BEEN here before?" Jenny asked.  
"Affirmative." Astro said. Just then, a young girl flew out of the sky and landed perfectly on her feet.  
"Hello!" She said. She was incredibly perky. "My name is Yuni!" At the same moment, a man landed next to her and took out his gun.  
"Akira's the name." He said as he twirled the gun on his fingers.  
"WOW! HE'S SO FINE!" Ni-Na, Jenny, and Charmy said at the same time.  
"A-ki-raaa!" Yuni said. "Don't show off!" Yuni was a cute little girl with orange-blonde hair. She was wearing a Japanese schoolgirl uniform with a cute orange plaid pleated skirt. Her top was black with a matching orange plaid bow. She had black knee-high socks and brown shoes. Her clear blue eyes sparkled with innocence. Akira was wearing a prep-school uniform. His pants were black as was his vest. Inside of his vest was a neatly tucked white shirt. His dark brown hair was short a cleanly cut.  
"Defenders of the world!" Yuni and Akira said while posing.  
"We saw time portals opening and followed you guys here." Yuni said.  
"You were also fated to come." Mr. DJ said.  
"OMIGOSH!" Jenny said looking around her. "Where's that voice coming from?"  
"I'll protect you Jenny." Johnny said while hugging her from behind. Jenny elbowed him in the stomach.  
"Dammit Johnny! I only have a limited supply of disinfectant!" Jenny said frantically rubbing her shirt where Johnny had made the slightest bit of contact with her.  
"I'm the DJ of this place. You guys were brought her to dance." The DJ said.  
"Oh...I see." Jenny said. "You know what, wake me up when this nightmare's over."  
"IT'S NOT A DREAM!!!!" Emi, Rage, Charmy, Astro, Tracy, Boldo, Zukin, Konasento, Maid-Zukin, and Robo2000 said.  
"OK! OK!" Jenny replied after so many voices yelled at her. Ni-Na smiled at Jenny. FINALLY someone she could relate to. Akira put the gun back in a fancy way and Charmy, Jenny, and Ni-Na sighed dreamily.  
"Oh PLEASE don't say you joined Akira's fan club." Rage said sarcastically while turning to face his girlfriend.  
"No way...I have a life ya know." Emi said.  
"Hey! We do too!" Ni-Na, Jenny, and Charmy replied.  
"This is going to be one interesting group." Boldo said while shaking his head.  
"I hear ya!" Tracy said.  



	13. A New Beginning

Again, the DJ explained the rules of the game once more. All the new members listened intently while the returning members zoned out. Zukin and Konsento gave a demonstration of how to do what.   
"I was just thinking," Emi said to Charmy. "I...I don't know if I want to do this again."   
"What do you mean?" Charmy asked.   
"Well...I mean, I went through hell not having you guys around." Emi said biting her lower lip.   
"No offense or anything, but we like, don't have much of a choice." Charmy said.   
"But..." Emi began.   
"Emi...don't be so...uptight. You're like nice and all, but you stress out too much." Charmy said with a smile.   
"I guess you're right." Emi said.   
"Emi. Don't worry. We'll come back again...we'll be united." Charmy said.   
"Promise?" Emi asked. Charmy smiled.   
"Like, promise!" She said as she stuck out her pinky. The two women made a promise that would be fulfilled...   
  
Tracy busted out some of her moves. She thought to herself silently. Did she WANT to dance...dancing meant having to be separated right? Was that what she wanted. She looked at everyone else while her body twisted and turned. Emi...Rage...Charmy...Astro...Zukin...Konsento...Ni-Na...Izam...Akira...Yuni...Jenny...Johnny...Boldo...   
  
Ni-Na danced energetically as her turn came up. "That damn Emi." She thought angrily. Emi...the one who had Rage. Ni-Na wanted him so badly...they were meant to be. And yet, her heart had a pang of guilt towards Izam. This wasn't the first time a guy caught her cheating on him. "So then why do I care so much?" She thought as the song came to an end.   
  
"Yo DJ." Rage said.   
"Whassup?" The DJ said.   
"I've been thinking. What if...what if we don't WANT to go back?" Rage asked.   
"I knew you would have the brain to think about that." He said. "I know you guys don't want to go back...but if you don't, then time won't reach its normal flow. The fabric of time will be tarnished and there will be havoc in the history of mankind.   
"But..." Rage began.   
"We're working on a type of device to COMMUNICATE with the others...however, you won't be able to show people in your time period what that object is.   
"I see." Rage said.   
"But seeing each other and being with a person isn't the same!" Emi protested.   
"True." The DJ said. "But this time we will have a mystery prize...a TRUE mystery prize."   
"Well, I DON'T want that prize to be me getting along with Ni-Na." Emi said.   
"Neither do I!" Ni-Na yelled from a few feet away.   
"Leave Ni-Na alone!" Jenny said. "Besides, all this YELLING is giving me a HEADACHE!"   
"Jenny, I've got aspirin!" Johnny said.   
"I don't WANT YOUR DAMNED ASPIRIN!" Jenny said. "NOT AFTER IT'S BEEN INFECTED WITH YOUR GERMS!" Johnny decided that the direct approach was best. He over to Jenny and kissed her passionately on the lips. Jenny quickly broke away and started spitting multiple times.   
"GROSS!!!!" She yelled. "UGH! DISGUSTING!"   
"Is that any way to treat your brother?" The DJ said. Everyone immediately turned to him.   
"WHAT?!?!" Jenny shrieked. "THAT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!!!!!"   
"I'm not lying though. Two Hurley twins separated at birth." The DJ said.   
"EX-CUSE ME???" Jenny asked while yelling.   
"Dammit, stop squealing!!!" Rage yelled.   
"Like the 'Parent Trap'?" Emi asked. "Two twins separated at birth?"   
"That's correct Emi." The DJ said. "Jenny, you and Johnny are brother and sister."   
"WHAT?!?!" Jenny and Johnny yelled.   
"You mean--" Jenny began.   
"I just kissed my sister?" Johnny finished.   
"SICK!!!!" They both yelled.   
"Whoa...just one surprise after another." Emi said.   
"Wouldn't it be sick if WE were brother and sister?" Rage asked with a smirk. Emi answered him with a kiss.   
"Whoa! GET A ROOM!!!" Tracy yelled laughing and slapping Rage on the back.   
"Shuddap Tracy." Rage said.   
"Whooohoooo! This boy's in L-O-V-E LOOOOOOVVVEEEE!" Tracy yelled. Ni-Na glared at them and felt a pair of eyes staring at her. She spun around: Izam. His fiery eyes seem to penetrate her flesh. She stared back as if she was going to be sucked into his eyes. Did she like him? Did she not? He looked away and brushed past her as he walked forward. Her arm was warm where Izam had brushed next to her. Rage and Emi started to dance as she quietly thought to herself. Rage brushed past her shooting her a cold glare and the contact that they made sent an electric pulse through every vein in her body.   
  
Yuni and Akira danced in unison as their styles complimented each other. They finished off with poses. Akira's pose was followed by dreamy sighs from Charmy, Jenny, and Ni-Na. Rage gagged and Yuni tugged at Akira's shirt telling him to stop showing off. Akira flashed a smile and twirled his gun.   
"Charmy...that your name?" He asked, looking at Charmy.   
"Ye-yeah." She said.   
"Yeah well, you're not as hot as they are so get lost." He said with a rich-boy smile.   
"Is that so rich ass?" Charmy asked sweetly.   
"Yes and you have no right to call me rich ass." He said flashing a smiled and posing with his gun in the air.   
"Well I'm just about sick of you and that damn gun!" Charmy said as she took out her own gun. She shot out a yellow beam of light and Akira's gun shattered every where. She pointed her gun at Akira. Akira started running around in frantic circles.   
"AHHHH!" He yelled. "I'm sorry! Take her not me!" Akira said shoving Yuni forward.   
"I don't want her dead." Charmy said with a grin. "I want you dead."   
"Ahhh NOO!!! DOOON'T HUUURT MEEEE!" Akira moaned.   
"Aren't you SUPPOSED to be a secret agent?" Emi asked.   
"I...uh..." Akira began.   
"He's a wimp." Yuni said. "A TOTAL disgrace to the agency."   
"I'm not...I'm just afraid of guns." Akira said meekly.   
"And spiders, and snakes, and mosquitoes, and roaches, and birds, and cars, and busy streets, and stoves, and hot soup, and cold soup, and darkness, and empty rooms and automatic toilets..." Yuni began but Akira cut him off.   
"OK, OK! So I'm a huge wimp!" Yuni smiled and everyone laughed at Akira.   
"Who ever heard of a scared policeman!" Tracy gawked.   
"A little 14-year-old is braver than you!" Rage laughed.   
"OMIGOSH!" Emi said while laughing.   
"Even us future patrolmen is brave than you." Astro said.   
"I've TOTALLY lost interest in YOU." Charmy said. Akira blushed as everyone dissed him.   
"You deserve to be shot for calling me ugly." Charmy said.   
"I didn't say ugly! I just said...not as cute as them!" Akira said.   
"Well THANKS A LOT! That's just a WHOLE lot better!" Charmy said sarcastically.   
"I'm sorry! Very sorry! Extremely sorry! Incredibly sorry! Unbelievably sorry!" Akira said.   
"Whatever!" Charmy said with a smirk. "As people in your time would say 'Scaredy Cat'."   
"I'm sorry oh great one, Charmy!" Akira pleaded. "Just don't hurt me...me and my beautiful face. If you have to kill me...then shoot me in my heart, just not my face!!"   
"Why NOT your face?" Charmy asked.   
"What would the world do without Akira's handsome face? No...I can't have my FACE mutilated!" Akira said while shielding his face.   
"Talk about conceited." Emi said to Rage.   
"You bet." Rage mumbled back.


	14. Tempting Rage

Everyone was in the traditional bedroom that they had slept in last year. One by one they hopped into bed. They had sore thighs and arms from dancing with all of the physical strength one could ever muster up. The lights went out and they slowly drifted into sleep.   
  
Ni-Na woke up. She was in her short satin nightgown. "Sexy" She thoguht. "I'm absolutely sexy." She brushed past Emi who was wearing a cute spaghetti strap top and baggy pants. Over her shirt was a sweater several sizes to big for her: Rage's sweater. Ni-Na drowned herself in jealousy. No matter. That wasn't why SHE woke up. She walk over to Rage's bed and stood over him.   
"Raaaaage." She said in a sing-song voice.   
"Wh-what?" Rage whispered.   
"It's me." Ni-Na said in the sexiest possible voice she could muster.   
"Huh?" Rage asked. Ni-Na was thrilled. "He's yielding to me!" She thought with joy.   
"I...who...HUH?!?" Rage asked snapping out of his sleepy state. "HOLY SHIT!!!! FUCK DAMMIT! OH MY FRIGGIN--" Rage yelled. Everyone woke up and the lights snapped on. Maid-Zukin was standing at the door with Robo2000 behind her. Everyone stared at Rage and Ni-Na. The sight was quite...interesting at the very least. Ni-Na was standing hovering Rage with her lavender satin nightie. Rage had thrown the covers off everywhere and was in total shock.   
"What's going on?" Boldo asked.   
"WHAT'S IT FRIGGIN LOOK LIKE?!?!" Rage yelled. "THIS BITCH," Rage said pointing to Ni-Na "WAS TRYING TO SEDUCE ME IN MY DAMNED SLEEP!"   
Yuni covered her eyes. "Oh my virgin eyes!!" She moaned.   
"TEMPTEST!" Astro exclaimed. "ADULTRESS!!!"   
Emi was staring at Ni-Na, back at Rage, and back at Ni-Na. She was shocked. Charmy lunged at Ni-Na for hurting Emi.   
"WHORE!!" Charmy yelled slapping her on the face multiple times.   
"AHHHHH!!!" Ni-Na shrieked.   
"STOP IT!" Maid-Zukin said. "You!" she said pointing to Ni-Na. "Explain yourself!"   
"I...I was uh, I tripped over his bed by accident. I-I was looking for w-water." She stammered.   
"THEN EXPLAIN THIS!" Rage yelled. "Raaaaage." He said imitating her voice and trying to calm down.   
"I...I was...um...I was just...um...I was..." She stammered.   
"What were you trying to do? Spend 'quality time' with Emi's boyfriend?" Tracy asked.   
"I...I..." Ni-Na continued.   
"Young lady. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated here." Maid-Zukin said.   
"BEHAVIOR?!?" Charmy shrieked. "NO, THIS IS RAPE!"   
"YEAH! WHAT SHE SAID!" Akira nodded.   
"YOU DON'T JUST GO AROUND TRYING TO GET IN BED WITH MY FRIEND'S BOYFRIEND!!!!" She continued.   
"Yeah! Shame on you!" Akira said.   
"THAT'S JUST SICK AND DOWNRIGHT LOW!!!!" Charmy yelled.   
"Yes yes! Sick and low!" Akira replied.   
"WOULD YOU SHADDUP!?!?!?" Charmy shrieked.   
"Sorry Mistress Charmy!!!" Akira said bowing down to her.   
"AND STOP BOWING!!!" Charmy shrieked again.   
Johnny and Jenny spoke at once, "EWWWW!!!" They looked at each other briefly. Jenny quickly turned away.   
"As if you're one to talk." Ni-Na said growling at Johnny. "I didn't kiss MY relative."   
"Well I didn't KNOW Jenny was my sister. You KNEW that Rage was Emi's!!!" Johnny yelled.   
"Got that right!" Jenny said. Emi was silent. Her eyes still darted from Rage to Ni-Na and back to Rage. She felt moisture emitting from her eyes.   
"Excuse me." She whispered. As she left the room.   
"Emi!" Charmy exclaimed. She glared at Ni-Na and rushed out of the room. Rage jumped out of bed tackling Ni-Na to the floor and raced out of the door. Izam jumped out of bed, cast a chilling glare at Ni-Na and walked out silently. Everyone else stared at Ni-Na. Ni-Na blushed and tried to concentrate at the patterns on the beds with unwilling tears in her eyes.   
  
Emi ran out of the room. Where? Who knew. She didn't care, she just ran. Tears blinded her as she ran swiftly. She tripped over herself and fell to the floor. She slowly got up on her knees crying her eyes out. Charmy's figure came into view. Emi put her head down.   
" Go away." Emi mumbled putting her head down.   
"Emi..." Charmy whispered. Rage walked to where they were.   
"Emi--" Rage began, but Emi cut him off.   
"SHUT UP!" She yelled. "I BET YOU ENJOY NI-NA HANGING ALL OVER YOU!!!" She quivered and started to cry harder.   
"WHAT?!?!?" Rage asked incredulously.   
"You heard me." She whispered.   
"EMI I HATE HER!" Rage yelled. He then realized who he was talking to. His voice softened. "Emi, I don't feel anything for her. But you...Emi, I love you." He said.   
"Really?" She asked.   
"Really." He replied. Rage hugged her and she hugged him back.   
"Why is it that you always have to be sad first in order to be happy?" Charmy asked Emi. Emi looked at her. "Don't you remember a similar situation?" She asked. Then she laughed. "I'll leave you two alone she said while walking back to the bedroom. Emi looked at Rage, Rage looked at Emi. Rage saw a pretty girl with puffy eyes and cute pajamas. Emi saw a guy with mussed hair, pants and a basketball jersey. They both laughed and kissed each other.   
"Don't EVER think that I could live without you." Rage said. Emi giggled and leaned on Rage's shoulder in a blissful state.   
"I feel the same way." Emi said. She drew a breath and then continued. "Rage...do you think we're just some 'high school fling'?" Emi asked softly.   
"No...this...this is the real thing." Rage said as he kissed her forhead lightly.   
"My thoughts exactly..." Emi said, her voice drifting off. Rage put his arm around her waist and they both walked back together. 


	15. Waking Up...

Emi and Rage walked together silently...blissfully. Their fingers intertwined. The slowly walked into the bedroom. Ni-Na saw them and shot them a brief glare of fury. She silently walked up and went to her bed. Ni-Na sat up staring at Izam. She was concealed in the shadows and was unseen by anyone. The lights had gone out and everyone had subsided. Izam's brown hair seemingly glistened in the night. She realized how badly she had treated Izam. All her life, she had been a girl who got everything she wanted. The only reason she wanted Rage was because he...was Emi's boyfriend. He didn't truly like him...but who DID she truly like? Izam...? She looked at him again. His brown hair glinting in the sparse light. She turned and sat back in bed. What the hell did she just get herself into?  
  
Ni-Na's eyes fluttered open and she sat up slowly and heard the gentle rustling of her bed covers. She looked around and saw that nobody was awake. She sat in bed. How she loved the gentle morning calm. The only time she didn't have to be...Ni-Na. A time when she could be a child. She looked at her ivory hands. She turned her hand over...her wrists. She ran her free fingers on the scars on her wrist. She felt the slits. She remembered how she got them too... She remembered grabbing the knife and feeling the rush of adrenaline af she made a deep incision. She could almost feel the blood trickling down her wrist. "No one would ever understand." She thought. No one understands. And that was why she constantly had different boyfriends...to make up for her loss...her loss of...Ni-Na drifted off to sleep again.  
  
Rage woke up and yawned. He looked around and saw everyone sleeping. Everything was silent besides Jenny's incredibly loud snores. Everyone was asleep...or so he thought. A second later, Johnny got up.  
"I CAN'T STAND THIS!" He whispered hoarsely to Rage as he pointed to Jenny.  
"SHE SOUNDS LIKE A BOMB EXPLODING!!" Johnny whispered again as loudly as a whisper could possibly get.  
"I hear ya bro!" Rage whispered back.   
"DO YOU HAVE A CAR MUFFLER?!" Johnny whispered again.  
"Can't help ya there...unfortunately." Rage said hoarsely. "But hey, I'd give you one if I could." They both laughed. Tracy woke up afterward.  
"You guys are incredibly loud, ya know that!" Tracy yelled. That woke up one more person: Astro.  
"Well...now that I'm awake...no thanks to TRACY!" Astro said giving Tracy a mock evil eye. "I suppose I might as well wake up my SISTER." Astro said evily as he took a giant pillow and threw it at Charmy's face.  
"GAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Charmy yelled. At the sound of Charmy's voice, Akira woke up. He ran over to Charmy and threw the pillow off her head. He took out a fan and starting fanning quickly.  
"Mistress Charmy! Mistress Charmy! Are you alright?!?!?!" He asked worridly.  
"I'M FINE DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Charmy yelled as she took the fan out of his hands and smacked him with it.  
"WILL YOU STOP?!?!" Charmy shrieked.  
"AHHH!!! SORRY SORRY SORRY!" Akira said. This ordeal woke everyone else up.  
"If I have to wake up like THIS again I swear I will--" Jenny began, but Johnny cut her off.  
"YOU'RE the one who woke ME up!!!" He yelled.  
"I WAS ASLEEP THIS WHOLE TIME!!!!" Jenny shrieked.  
"Why can't we all just get along?" Emi asked sleepily.  
"YOU SNORE SO FRIGGIN LOUD!" Johnny yelled back.  
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!?!" Jenny yelled.  
"Can you all shut up?" Izam said.  
"YOU ARE IN DIRE NEED OF MUFFLERS...AND WE DESPERATELY NEED EARMUFFS!!!!" Johnny yelled back.  
"SHUDDAP!!!!!!!" Maid-Zukin shouted at the door. Everyone stopped. "GEEZ! TAKE A HINT FROM EMI!!!! LEARN TO GET ALONG!!!" There was a huge slam of the door and everyone stopped talking. Charmy broke the silence.  
"OK...so uh...let's dance!" She said with a smile. Everyone laughed nervously I agreement.  
"Let's get this show on the road!" Rage said with a smirk. Everyone left...except for Ni-Na. She still sat in bed. She had fallen asleep with her hands on her scars. She ran her fingers over the deepest one again.  
"Daddy..." She whispered. She slowly got up and went out to change into her dance clothes. 


	16. ...Ni-Na...

Ni-Na sat back after a few minutes of dancing. She looked at her bright bracelets on her arms, making sure they were in place...they concealed her scars. She saw that they were and leaned back...alone...again...  
Izam looked at Ni-Na. She was alone again. Half of him wanted to talk to her; the other half wanted to stay back and glare. He thought to himself quietly. "Yeah she did play on me, but it's not like we can't still be friends...right?" Ignoring the tug of self-pride, he walked over to Ni-Na.  
"Hey." Izam's voice boomed. Startled, Ni-Na looked up. "H-hey." She said shakily. "What's up?"  
"Nothing." Ni-Na said. She turned away, her face burning with shame. "Why is he talking to me?" She thought. "Is he trying to make me feel worse?"  
"Umm, Ni-Na, I'll just get to the point. The thing is umm, well if you want to, umm, well, is there any reason we can't be friends?" Izam said slowly.  
"Is this some kind of joke?" She asked.  
"Umm...no. I mean, unless you don't want to or anything." Izam said.  
"Izam...Even if I wanted to, I mean, wouldn't it hurt you?" Ni-Na asked.  
"Ummm...no." Izam said. There was a second of silence. Then suddenly, Izam had Ni-Na's arms around him and tears streaming onto his shirt.  
"Thanks." She sniffled. He smiled.  
"Your welcome." Gradually, she stopped crying. She eventually released her grip on Izam.  
"So..." Izam began. They soon began talking.  
"What about your parents?" Izam suddenly asked. Ni-Na paused. She fidgeted around with her bracelets.  
"What's this?" Izam asked. Ni-Na hadn't noticed that Izam was holding her wrist. One of her scars was visible. She remained silent.  
"Ni-Na, what is this?" Izam asked while pointing to one of her scars. He moved around the bracelets. Cut marks, about 4 or 5 of them.  
"Ni-Na, you can tell me. I know this sound corny but, we are...friends right?"  
"Izam...umm, I'm, I'm suicidal." Ni-Na said.  
"Well yeah, I understand that but, what happened?"  
Ni-Na took a deep breath, then she began to speak, "When I was 10, my mom died."  
"Oh...I'm really sorry Ni-Na-" Izam began but Ni-Na interrupted him.  
"Wait, you, you don't understand. She used to...she used to beat me."  
With enormous shock Izam asked, "What?"  
"A-after she died, I was sad, but...but I thought I was free from her. But then...but then daddy started to...he started beating me too." Ni-Na drew another breath and continued. "He blamed me for mom's death. He said I always stressed her. Said she couldn't handle me anymore...said HE couldn't tolerate me anymore. Said...said..." Ni-Na was struggling to hold back the tears.  
"Why haven't you TOLD anyone?!" Izam asked.  
"NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE ME!!!" She sputtered. "No...one." She started crying again.  
"I believe you." Izam said.  
"And so do I ." Another voice said. They looked up and saw Emi standing over them.  
"E-Emi..." Ni-Na stuttered.  
"Ni-Na...you should've told someone. You've been housing in so many emotions...so many feelings."  
"I don't...I don't deserve to talk to you Emi. I've treated you like trash. And you Izam, I don't deserve to talk to anyone."  
"Ni-Na..." Izam said.  
"You're right Ni-Na, you don't. But you know what? You can." Emi said. Ni-Na looked at them both and sobbed a bit more.  
"Th-thanks." She said. The three walked back to the others.  
Tracy downed herself in the delirious pleasure that often comes with whiskey. "You're just to good to be truuuuu." She sang drunkenly.  
"Can someone PLEASE stop her?" Astro said.  
"Haha...that's impossible. She's dependent on alcohol." Boldo said.  
"Shaddup! I could get off this jus' like dat!" Tracy said snapping her fingers lopsided.  
Everyone roared with laughter.  
"That's one helluva funny joke!" Rage laughed. Everyone else continued laughing.  
"Hey guys!" Emi's voice said. Izam and Ni-Na were with her.  
"Emi, have you been drinking some of Tracy's stuff?" Rage asked.  
"Uh, no why?" Emi asked.  
"Um, you're like, HANGING OUT with Ni-Na." Rage said.  
"Yeah, I am, why?" Emi asked innocently. Then she giggled. "We sorta put an end to our enmity."  
"Yup! She's DEFINITELY drunk!" Astro joked sarcastically. Everyone, including Ni-Na laughed. And once again, everyone united. 


	17. Izam's Secret

Emi finished her spin as the song ended. She walked off the dance floor with Rage. From across the dance floor, Ni-Na complimented Emi.  
"Hey Emi! Great job!" Ni-Na exclaimed.  
"Thanks!" Emi said.  
Rage took this time to ask Emi something that had been on his mind. "So what exactly happened?"  
"You mean with Ni-Na?" Emi asked.  
"Yeah."  
"I'm not going to say unless Ni-Na says it's OK." Emi said.  
"Since when are you and Ni-Na so close?"  
"Since I found out something horrific that's going on in her life." Emi said curtly. "Now if you'll EXCUSE me." Emi said as she pushed through Rage and walked away. Was it just his imagination or did they just have a fight?  
  
Emi walked away. She felt horrible, but she really didn't have a right to tell Rage anything unless Ni-Na let her. She sighed. "Sorry Rage..." she thought.  
  
Ni-Na had danced anxiously waiting to talk to Izam. The moment the song ended, she mustered up the courage to tell Izam, "Can we talk?"  
"Sure" He had responded. Now he was right in front of her with questioning in his eyes.  
"Umm, Izam, I didn't mean to hurt you're feelings back then." She said.  
"Oh, about that. Ha, that's OK." He said. He was about to walk away when Ni-Na grabbed his wrist.  
"And..." She said.  
"And...I really...like you." She got out. "I kinda...want to be...like...umm..."  
Izam stared at her, "YOU want to be with ME?" He asked.  
"Umm...yeah." She said looking at her shoes.  
"Ni-Na, I like you a lot...I really do!" Izam began, "But, I don't think...I could ever be something more than just a friend to you. I mean, you're nice but...I kinda, was really bummed when you rejected me like that...and I mean...I'm sorry, but it wouldn't work out."  
"Oh...I understand." She said hollowly.  
"I also...like...someone else." He said.  
"Oh..." Ni-Na said again.  
"Yeah...so...umm, I'm really sorry." He said.  
"I should've known." She said glumly.  
"But, don't take this the wrong way! There's a chance Ni-Na....but...just not now. I mean, besides, I kinda just met your 'new self'." Izam said.  
"I understand." Ni-Na responded. She had a tiny glimmer of hope...maybe they would get together, but he was right. He just met the "real her".  
"I mean, I'm surprised a girl like you even likes me." He said.  
"You...are?" She asked.  
"Yeah, I'm not all that great with the ladies."  
Ni-Na giggled. "But, there's still a chance?"  
"Yeah." Izam said. They walked away at the same time. As Ni-Na walked away, she just realized what a desperate fool she seemed like.  
"Oh man, I was really...yikes!" She thought.  
Izam walked away a bit happy. "A girl actually likes me! That's a first!" He felt bad for telling Ni-Na off, but there definitely WAS a chance. Too bad he still had his eyes for someone else...that certain someone named Emi... 


	18. Chaotic Love

Emi sat back feeling sorry for herself. She and Rage just had a fight...  
"He'll never talk to me again." Emi thought glumly. She was wrong, but not in a way she had hoped. She saw Rage walking towards her right now.  
"Hey." He said.  
"Hey." She replied.  
"Umm, well, I'm sorry." Rage replied.  
Emi sighed with relief. "It's OK."  
"But, you ARE going to tell me sooner or later right?" Rage asked. There was an uncomfortable silence. Emi tried to read his expression to see if he was serious. He was.  
"If Ni-Na says it's OK." Emi replied.  
"Emi..." Rage began. "Look, don't be so sensitive and uptight, just...I mean, we're together so you should be able to tell-"  
Emi cut him off. "UPTIGHT and SENSITIVE?!?!?!" She yelled. "LOOK RAGE, if Ni-Na say it's OK, I'll tell ya!!! But until then-"  
"THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY SECRETS IN OUR RELATIONSHIP!!!"  
Emi protested, "SOME SECRETS ARE WORTH KEEPING!!!"   
"Not in OUR relationship!" Rage shot back.  
"FORGET IT THEN!!!" Emi yelled. "WE'RE THROUGH!!!"  
They both stopped to digest what had just been said.  
"DAMN YOU EMI!!!!" Rage yelled. For a split-second of madness, Rage felt like hitting her, but he knew he couldn't... he still loved her. He soon regained his composure and slammed his fist into the wall behind him. Emi winced.  
Rage yelled again. "WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT NI-NA WOULD BE THE ONE TO SPLIT US UP?!?!"   
Emi trembled as she ran away from Rage. Rage cursed to himself and slammed his other fist into the wall.  
  
-~**~-  
"Rage...do you think we're just some 'high school fling'?" Emi asked softly.   
"No...this...this is the real thing." Rage said as he kissed her forehead lightly.   
"My thoughts exactly..."  
-~**~-  
  
Emi ran into the room and cried. Again she had to release her emotion in tears.  
"Why...?" She sputtered until she burst into sobs again. She knew that this time around, Rage wouldn't be here to help her out. She was alone...  
  
Izam stared at the door that separated himself from Emi. It seemed to gleam. No doubt, Rage and Emi had broken up...he had heard the yells. There was a slight stab of guilt at the thought of Ni-Na and her words about how she liked him, but even still, he couldn't ignore what he had for Emi.   
"Izam?" Ni-Na's voice asked. He ignored her and walked to the door. Slowly, he opened it. He saw Emi on her bed crying. He felt another stab of guilt. She must've liked Rage a lot to cry this much over him. Again, he ignored it...  
  
Emi was startled when she felt the firm hand on her shoulder. She half-expected to see Rage, but when she saw Izam, her face fell a bit. Izam didn't seem to notice.  
"Hey." He said.  
"Hey." She replied.  
"I...heard about what happened."  
"Oh...that, uh, yeah...that's umm..."  
"Emi, if you want, I...I can make it better." Izam whispered. He leaned over to Emi...put his hand on her face and -SLAP!- Emi slapped him hard on the face.  
"How dare you! What kinda...what kinda girl do you think I am??" She sputtered.  
"I'm...I'm sorry I just thought--"  
"You JUST THOUGHT you could do something like...like...like that to me?!?!" Emi yelled.  
"Well when you were with Rage-"  
"When I was with Rage?!?! WELL I'M NOT WITH RAGE ANYMORE!!!"  
Emi started to shake a bit then she collapsed onto the bed and wailed. "My...life...is...ruined." Izam knew better than to try again, yet his inner-conscious seemed to think differently. He leaned over and whispered.  
"It's OK..." He propped her up on the bed and said, "Everything will be all right."  
He took another chance and leaned down to kiss Emi. Emi quickly took a pillow and put it in place of her face. Izam kissed the pillow.  
"YOU BASTARD!!!" She yelled. Before he could realize what was happening, Emi pushed the pillow into his face. Then, overcome by weariness, she stumbled out of the room.  
  
Ni-Na watched as Emi stomped out of the room. She felt a pang of jealousy. "So THAT'S who Izam liked..." She thought bitterly.  
"Well, now that they broke up...I can try my luck at Rage again." Her inner-mind thought. "Too bad Emi, we were just becoming friends."  
  
Rage leaned against the wall, willing the tears to stop. It was no use. What had just happened couldn't be forgotten. He started to punch at the wall again, beating his fist rapidly. He heard a voice behind him that caused him to stop.  
"Hey handsome."  
Rage turned around. He saw Ni-Na standing there, smiling.  
"What the hell do you want?" Rage asked with hatred in his voice.  
"Look, I know...I know Emi and you are separate, but that doesn't mean you should suffer."  
"Shut up and leave me alone!" Rage yelled. Ni-Na ignored him.  
"In fact, you should enjoy being single." She said while walking toward him. Rage wanted to run away, but he had to admit, now that Emi was out of the picture, Ni-Na looked awfully sexy...  
"You should spend your time with other people." She said while wrapping her arms around his neck. She could see Rage was starting to calm down. "Like me."  
Their lips met. Ni-Na kissed Rage and Rage found himself responding to her passion. Ni-Na whispered between kisses.  
"I mean...there...isn't a...reason...why we...shouldn't ..be...together." She said. They stopped.  
"You're right there isn't." Rage found himself saying. Then he froze. "Wait, what am I saying?" He thought. Soon, however, that thought drowned out and he felt Ni-Na slip her hand into his. He took it and they walked back to the others together.  
  
Zukin patted Emi on the back. "There, there." she said comfortingly.  
"It's OK, Emi! You'll be fine. I mean, just apologize to Rage and-" She stopped. Emi wasn't looking at her anymore, she was looking at two approaching figures.  
"Oh my..." Maid-Zukin exclaimed. There was Rage and Ni-Na...together...holding hands.  
"Emi...uh..." Zukin started but Emi wasn't listening. Ni-Na and Rage walked over to her.  
"What's wrong Emi?" Ni-Na sneered. "At a loss for words?"  
"What's the meaning of this?!?!" Charmy shrieked.  
"What's it look like. Rage and I are together." Ni-Na said maliciously.  
"You...you...you...!!!!" Charmy began, but she didn't know what to say. Ni-Na snickered at Charmy. Ni-Na then took the initiative to kiss Rage right in front of Emi...and they did. Emi glared and felt tears escaping her eyes. Ni-Na and Rage broke away from the kiss.  
"RAGE HOW COULD YOU?!?!?!" She yelled as she brought her knee up to Rage's groin...hard.  
"WHOA!!! THAT'S GOTTA HURT!!!!" Tracy exclaimed while laughing hysterically at Rage's misfortune. Rage was kneeling down and wincing.  
"Amen!!!" Boldo exclaimed. Yuni was covering her mouth with her hands, trying to avoid laughing but she couldn't help it. Emi's anger seemed to rub off on Charmy as the lunged towards Ni-Na and pulled on her hair.  
"YOU BITCH!!!" Charmy yelled. Maid-Zukin was trying to calm everyone down.  
"STOP EVERYONE!! STOP STOP STOP!!!" She yelled, but it was no use. Charmy was starting to slap Ni-Na's face and everyone else but Emi was laughing at Rage's ongoing pain. Emi was glaring at Rage.  
"Never..." She began. "Never did I even THINK you would do something like this to me. NEVER!" She yelled as she wiped her tears away. Everyone stopped to watch.  
"I had to dump Andrew for you." She began. "Then I started getting along with...with HER!" Emi yelled while pointing to Ni-Na. "And now...AND NOW I HAVE TO GO THROUGH HELL ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!"  
"I...I..." Emi said trying to get the words out. "I HATE YOU!!"  
Emi, fueled by a new unknown emotion, punched Rage in the stomach and then ran away from view. 


	19. Road to Return

Rage let his body lie on the ground for a few more moments.  
"What have I done?" He thought to himself. Soon, Ni-Na's face appeared hovering over him.  
"You OK?" She asked. Looking at her face, Rage saw that she wasn't "the one". He didn't feel this strange feeling of uncertainty around Emi. With Emi felt nervous, exited, and yet...composed. He had only wanted Emi to be jealous. He wanted her to feel the pain of separation he felt. He was an idiot.  
"Earth to Rage, you OK?" Ni-Na asked.  
"Yeah..." He said as he got up. The pain in his groin was long forgotten...no, not forgotten, replaced. Replaced by the thing known as "a broken heart".  
"Ni-Na-" He began, but she cut her off. People were staring at them.  
"It's OK Rage." Ni-Na whispered. "It's OK..." She bent down to kiss him, but this time, Rage pushed her away.  
"No...it's not." Rage said. Ni-Na looked slightly confused. She stared at him with a questioning look.  
"It's not OK." Rage repeated. "Because...the thing is, I don't really...I need..."  
"Say it." Ni-Na said. She could sense what was about to happen. It was written all over his face.  
"Emi's the only girl for me." He said. Guilt and relief flooded into his body.  
"Oh...I see." Ni-Na said coldly. "Emi huh?" She felt water rising in her...  
"Yeah..."  
"WHAT ABOUT ME?!?!?!" She yelled with fury and tears. She didn't care, she wanted to cry. But why was she crying? She knew this would happen?   
"Ni-Na, I'm sorry." Rage said. Ni-Na wanted to hit. She wanted to cause pain. The water rose higher...  
Ni-Na's emotions hovered over her like a huge wave...like an entire ocean was on top of her. She felt energized and furious.  
"DAMN YOU!!!" Ni-Na shrieked. She didn't want to hear his voice. The wave was forming a crest over her...  
"Ni-Na I-" Rage began but Ni-Na screamed again.  
"NO I HATE YOU!!! SHUT UP!!! DON'T SAY ANYTHING!!! I HATE YOUR VOICE!! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU!!!!!!"  
Rage kept quiet as Ni-Na wailed on. Finally, the wave crashed down.  
"GO TO HELL!! DIE!!! BURN!!!" She yelled until her voice went hoarse. The water started to calm. Unable to control her pain and sorrow, she dropped herself to the floor and cried harder. Tears blurred her vision, running down her cheeks and the floor. Making tiny rivers into her sobbing mouth. Rage's full pity went out to her, but he couldn't say anything. Overwhelmed with guilt and self-hatred he took off after Emi.  
  
Emi stopped running. She was out of breath...out of tears...out of hope. She leaned back against the wall. Her legs were tired, but unwilling to sit...unwilling to function. She didn't function. Everything was upside down. Her heart was shattered, her mind was misty, her soul ceased to exist. When she had finally managed to clarify a few things, footsteps were heard. Distant...closer...closer...closer...closer...in front of her. She saw Rage, and her heart felt like it had been revived, but only briefly until her rational mind told her otherwise.  
"Emi-" Rage said while catching his breath.  
"Fuck you." She said. She could feel moisture in her eyes but restrained them.  
"Emi listen-"  
"NO YOU FUCKING LISTEN!!! PISS OFF!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I HATE YOU!!!! YOU'RE THE BIGGEST DAMN BASTARD I'VE EVER MET!!!!"  
"Emi. Look, I'm sorry. I kissed Ni-Na because...because I was jealous. Really jealous." Rage said. He continued on "But you know as well as I do, that we're meant to be."  
Emi drew in a breath. " I don't know what you're talking about." She said bitterly.  
"Emi, I told you before...I love you."  
"Yeah, well the feeling's not mutual."  
Rage stared at her. Could this be true, or was she just angry?  
"Emi..."  
"Fuck off. Leave me alone. I don't need you." She gritted her teeth while this lie slipped its way through her mouth.  
"Emi...you...are you OK?"  
"NO!!!!" Then her voice softened. "No...in fact I feel like my eyes have finally been opened.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I'm still in love with someone...just not you."  
"Who, Andrew?"  
"No."  
Rage waited for her answer. Emi began. "The Rage that you were. The Rage that cared for me. The Rage that's been replaced."  
"Replaced?"  
"You've changed Rage. You've changed a lot."  
"I'VE CHANGED?" Rage asked incredulously. "What about YOU?"  
"Did I ever SAY I didn't change?" Emi asked. "I just said you changed a lot. Probably more than I've changed...and definitely NOT a better change."  
Rage opened his mouth to argue but realized she was right.  
"Can you leave now?" Emi asked rudely.  
"Fine." He muttered. He walked away with a feeling of failure and stupidity. Emi leaned back as she watched him leave. How many times had she just lied? She needed Rage. He was the other half of her soul. Even with his temper flaring and his harshness to other people, she still loved him. But what had happened to him? She took her hat off and buried her face in it. She let herself cry.  
  
Konsento, Zukin, Maid-Zukin, and Robo 2000 all sat in the room. The gauge was almost full...again.  
Zukin was trying to plead with the DJ. "But, Emi and Rage...they haven't even made up!!"  
He ignored them. "It's time to select the last pair of dancers."  
"But...!"  
"We have to." The DJ replied firmly. "Sorry."  
  
Konsento, Zukin, Maid-Zukin and Robo 2000 all walked to where the group was. Ni-Na was still sobbing, and Rage was there now. Emi's silhouette came into view until she finally joined the others.  
Zukin looked at Emi with concern and then quickly flashed Rage a glare. "The time has come for you all to go back."  
Everyone turned and stared at her silently. Then everyone stared at Emi and Rage.  
"But they haven't...!" Charmy began, unable to finish.  
"Yeah! They haven't...!" Akira repeated.  
"Do you even know what I was about to say?" Charmy said grumbling.  
"Uh...no." Akira responded. Charmy smacked him on the head.  
"THEN DON'T SAY ANYTHIGN YOU DIMWIT!!!!"  
Yuni interrupted Charmy's shrieks. "But...why?"  
"Dammit, just get it over with." Rage said. "Who's the last dancer?" he asked.  
"That's up to you guys to decide." Devil-Zukin said. But she couldn't help shooting an insult. "Though I hope it's not you." She paused. "Stupid pine-cone head..." she muttered.  
"What did you say?" Rage asked calmly though it was obvious he was going to smack Zukin silly.  
"I SAAAAID, 'STUPID...PINE...CONE...HEAAAAD!!' YOU DEAF?!?!" She yelled.  
Rage's temper slowly rose from "pissed off" to "extremely pissed off". "I'M GOING TO BEAT THE STUFFING OUT OF YOU!!!" He was about to smack her, but regained his self-control.  
"Not like it would matter. You could rip a hole through me and I'd still be here. I'M A PUPPET! I could just sew myself together!!"  
Emi interrupted them. "Who's going to be the final group?" She asked everyone. Everyone looked miserable and depressed. Nobody cared. They wanted to stay and help Rage and Emi. They never wanted to feel that pain separation from each other.  
"We have to..." Maid-Zukin said. "Then she paused. Robo 2000 and I will take the final dance."  
Everyone looked at her with shock. Then their looks changed into looks of gratitude. They were ready to leave...even though they didn't want to, they were ready. 


	20. Home Isn't Where the Heart Is...

"Maybe you don't love me any more...foolish me thinkin' we would last forever..."  
  
The song came closer to an end while Maid-Zukin and Robo2000 danced with as much energy as they could muster. Maid-Zukin moved her arms with perfect coordination while she thought about the situation. Rage and Emi...what would happen?  
"Join hands now...it's time to leave..." The DJ's voice echoed. Ni-Na walked grudgingly to the circle. She didn't expect anything...she had been...a bitch. Suddenly, a hand was outstretched in front of her. Ni-Na looked up and saw the smiling face of the last person that she ever thought would extend any kind of friendship to her. Emi's face stared back at her. Ni-Na slowly took Emi's hand.  
"But why..?"  
"You're not a bad person, Ni-Na."  
"After all that I've done...to you especially, you don't...hate me?"  
"No." Emi paused before beginning again. "Ni-Na, may we always be like...sisters to each other, OK?"  
Ni-Na's eyes watered slightly. "Sure." She took the outstretched hand and stood proud.  
The others stood in a circle and joined hands. Rage looked at Emi and Ni-Na making a pact to be sister-like figures to each other. Why would Emi do such a thing? To make him jealous? No...Emi wasn't like that. She was just a better person than him...a much better person. And he had just let her go...  
Light and colors swirled around the group as they began their journey back. There was a flurry of lights and music. A light breeze started to blow upward and looks of sadness spread across the faces of everyone. Why was everything so incomplete? Everyone was leaving again...separated again. And Emi and Rage? Were they going to be back together next time? Would there BE a next time? Everyone's mind faced trouble and everyone stomach churned at the negative possibilities. Why...? The colors swirled faster and everyone closed their eyes. They shut them and let the tiny rivers of tears flow. Afraid to open them, but when they finally did...they saw the unwelcoming surrounding of their previous lives...  
Emi was lying back in Rage's chest, just as when she left. She cleared her throat and pushed herself up quickly.  
"Can you please get out of my house?" Emi asked with slight edge in her voice.  
"Sure..." Rage replied. He walked to the door and turned. He would try to get her back. "Emi..?"  
She frosted him with the coldest glare she could force. "Out...please." She couldn't help but be polite. In any case, Rage got the hint.  
"OK...well, see you at school."  
"Sure...whatever..." Emi said softly. Rage turned his back to the door and walked out. The rain was falling down hard.  
"Wait, Rage." Emi called out. He turned around hopefully. She handed him an umbrella.  
"Here." She said. Rage took the umbrella but let his hand rest on hers. She pulled her hand away quickly and ran into her house. She slammed the door and ran into her room flinging herself onto her bed. A mixture of salt and water trickled onto her pillow and lips.  
Ni-Na and Izam were back at the rave. It wasn't much of a shock to see each other, but they simply nodded and acknowledged each other's existence. Perhaps one day something would happen between the two...perhaps...  
Tracy and Boldo were teleported back to the "Dancing Diva" club. They were tired...and not to mention curious about Rage and Emi.  
"Hey Baldy...?" Tracy asked.  
"Yeah...?"  
"I don't...want to go again." She smiled weakly.  
"Neither do I."  
Yuni and Akira were back at the police station. They sat back and took a few twinkies from the package.  
Yuni stuffed her face with twinkies. "Hey Akira..."  
"Hmm?" Akira said between bites.  
"I...want to forget about it all...Emi, Rage, Charmy...I want to forget it."  
"Me too...denial won't solve anything though."  
"I know."  
"Well...will see Emi and Rage again...we're from the same time period.  
"Maybe...I hope, but I think...that was too hard to go through. I don't want to go through that again."  
Johnny and Jenny were back at the alley route on the way to Jenny's house.  
"Well...I'll be heading home." Jenny said.  
"I can't believe you're really my sister." Johnny commented dumbly.  
"I know...so...I'll be a little nicer to you...a little..." She smiled innocently. Then she gave him a tiny kiss on the cheek. "Always remember me, OK?"  
"How can I forget? I mean, I KISSED you."  
"And I just kissed you."  
"Yeah but I like...kissed you on the LIPS!"  
"Well, can't say anything there...see ya around!"  
"Hey Jenny, I hope...we can be friends after all this happened."  
"Of course we can. You're my bro, remember?"  
"Oh yeah I forgot."  
"But you just said you'd never forget!"  
Johnny smirked. "My bad?"  
Jenny giggled and set off towards her home.  
Charmy and Astro warped back in the space colony. Charmy sighed.  
"What's up?" Astro asked.  
"I want to know what'll happen..."  
"...to Emi and Rage, right?"  
"Yeah..."  
"We'll go back...don't worry."  
"But Emi..."  
"Charmy, don't worry about it."  
"I hope they'll set everything right again."  
"Me too..." 


	21. Life Thus Far

Emi sat in bed trying to ignore the tone of the alarm clock that was constantly beeping. She learned an important lesson: the alarm clock can't be ignored. She slowly rose from bed and slammed her fist on the clock. She stepped off the bed and stretched in her pajamas: striped blue baggy pants and a white spaghetti strap shirt. It had been 2 months since she had broken up with Rage...though it seemed like much longer. She walked to the bathroom slowly and washed her face at the sink. She was interrupted by a loud honking noise outside her window. She quickly ran to her window and opened it. She already knew who'd be there and she was right.  
"Hey Emi!" Maria yelled.  
"Hey." Emi replied. Today was the day they were planning to go snowboarding.  
"You ready yet?" Maria asked.  
"Almost...give me a minute." Emi responded.  
"OK!"  
Emi rushed to the bathroom and quickly dressed into her snowboarding clothes. She pulled on sweat pants and then put her yellow Roxy snowboarding pants over them. She shoved her feet into heavy socks and pulled on a pair of snow boots. Then she hurriedly pulled on a white long- sleeved turtleneck shirt and a yellow Roxy shirt. She grabbed her beanie and blue jacket and rushed down the stairs. On the way down, she pulled her jacket on and set the beanie on her head. She grabbed a slice of bread on the kitchen table and headed towards the door.  
"Bye mom!" She called while grabbing her Burton snowboard with the boots still on the board from her last time snowboarding. The snowboard seemed to wait eagerly to ride on snow yet again.  
"Have fun honey!" She heard her mom say. Emi bent down and picked up a pre- packed bag and quickly rushed out the door. She was greeted by a burst of cold air and her friend telling her to hop in the jeep. She quickly stuffed the bread into her mouth and pulled her snowboard into the trunk. She then made a final check, feeling her jacket pockets for her gloves and sunglasses. She quickly close the trunk of the jeep and jumped into her the passenger's seat. The jeep backed out of the driveway and drove off towards its destination.  
Emi sat in the soft seat of the jeep with Maria. The beautiful scenery flashed by as they drove through another forest. Emi sat in the passenger's seat while focusing on the upcoming lyrics to the Incubus song playing on the radio.  
"Damn, I LOVE winter break!" Maria said excitedly.  
"Couldn't agree more." Emi murmured softly with a wry smile.  
"Ya know Emi, you're a BAD liar."  
"Oh come on, everyone loves winter break."  
"Yeah, but you don't like this one, that's pretty damn obvious."  
Emi paused. Maria had read her mind. It's true that like most high school student, Emi LOVED spring break, but the Christmas-like scenes and smiling faces reminded her of winter break last year when she was with Rage. She reminisced at the memories that flashed in her mind. Rage had helped her do her Christmas shopping (and even bought her a cookie in the mall during their "break"). Then on Christmas Eve, Rage and Emi had spent the entire morning and afternoon together exchanging their presents and then throwing the wrapping paper at each other...Rage even turned on the old karaoke machine and sang her a Christmas Carol (though he wasn't very good at it and sang off-key for most of the song). Afterwards she celebrated with their family, but secretly, she had to admit that she had the most fun with Rage. Every time she saw a happy couple in the streets with their hands clasped together, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. Emi sighed.  
Maria saw the look on Emi's face and understood what Emi's sigh translated to. "Still in love with Rage, huh?"  
Emi blinked while her memories seemed to fade like a leaf falling in autumn. She looked down sadly. "Yeah..." The truth was, Emi had no one to talk to. Nobody other than any of the dancers who had gone to the "other dimension" could possibly understand what she meant. Emi had to lie about why she and Rage broke up. Would YOU believe someone if they told you that the reason they broke up with their boyfriend was because they had met an old rival from Southern California in another dimension and managed to catch Rage in a state of anger, hurt, and loss and break the frail speck of trust that remained?  
"Look, Emi." Maria began, "Rage is just...screwed up. I mean, I'm sure you had your reasons for breaking up with him. Besides, not to sound cliché, but there ARE plenty of fish in the sea."  
"Yeah I know." Emi said letting the lie ooze out of her gritted teeth. Essentially, Maria was right...but when you knew how right you were for a person and he for you...rationale leaves the spectrum of emotion. Rage had cared so much, Emi knew that. But she also knew that she could never forgive Rage for changing so much. She would just be an empty shell wandering around and drifting from meadow to meadow searching for someone who was like the old Rage...only to know that she could never find someone like that. She loved the memory of Rage but could never find that no matter what.  
"Hey we're here!" Maria announced. Emi smiled weakly and waited for Maria to park. She slowly got out of the jeep and took out her belongings.  
  
Rage stood in line for the lift tickets. Andrew stood next to him and they both waited with patience seeping out of their minds.  
"Damn there's a long line today." Rage commented. Andrew laughed. Both of them were Emi's ex-boyfriends. Though Andrew was pissed off when Rage and Emi first got together, the three of them managed to fix things and they were friends again. Rage had asked Andrew to go boarding with him. Andrew consented and secretly invited Emi to come to in hopes that Rage and Emi could get together again. True, some of him still liked Emi and her cheeriness, but he knew that they were destined...or so it seemed. Since the break-up, Andrew was on both sides, supporting both of his friend's decisions. In any case, he had invited Emi to get out of the house during winter break and she told him she had already made plans. Andrew and Rage waited as the line slowly shrank. Though it took a while, they were at the front of the line.  
"Cahn I helpuh yoo?" The ticket receptionist asked.  
"Uh, yeah. Two all day passes...regular admission." Rage replied.  
"Two all day pahsses? You wahnt two teekets?" The receptionist asked. Rage turned to Andrew who just shrugged. It was evident that this man did NOT know his English that well.  
"Yeah. Two all day passes." Rage replied.  
"You wahnt two?"  
"Yeah."  
"Not threeh orh oneh, buht two?"  
"YES!!" Andrew interjected.  
"Two?" The receptionist asked while showing 3 fingers.  
"No TWO!" Rage replied. "TWO!!!" He showed 2 fingers.  
"OK OK, I understahnd you wahnt 2." The receptionist said while showing to fingers.  
"YES!!!" Andrew and Rage replied.  
"Dat is on hundred fihfty dollars pleaze." The receptionist responded.  
"ONE HUNDRED FIFTY BUCKS?!?!" The two guys yelled.  
"No look." Rage began while pointing to a sign that said the prices. "You see, these tickets are 17 dollars per person. See?"  
"Yhes I seeh." The receptionist said.  
"So the cost should be 34 dollars for two people!!" Andrew shot back.  
"OK, I is vehry confuhs-ed." The receptionist replied.  
"ARGHHH!!" Rage yelled.  
"Excuse me." A young woman's voice said from behind them. Both guys turned. They saw a lady who was in her 20s holding a small baby. She had bright green hair and classy-looking winter clothes. She was holding a pair of skis and her ski goggles were dangling from her wrist. "Allow me." She said. She walked to the sales receptionist and began talking in rapid Japanese. The sales representative responded back just as quickly. Soon, she turned and went to her spot behind them in the line.  
"Oh, I ahm vehry sohrry. Dat is 34 dollars pleaze. Youh seeh, I dohn't know the lahnguage that well." The receptionist said.  
"Oh as if THAT was hard to figure out." Rage grumbled and he paid the man. He soon took his lift ticket and gave Andrew his.  
"Thanks." Andrew said to the green-haired lady. "And your name is...?"  
"Maho." She said with a smile. The two guys turned and walked away as Maho spoke in rapid Japanese to the ticket salesman again (this time regarding her own purchases).  
  
Spike stood there staring at the big wooden door. He and his friend Ice were standing in the middle of the street...staring.  
"Wow." Spike said  
"Wow." Ice responded.  
"Wow." Spike said again.  
"Wow."  
"Wow."  
"Biiiiiiiiig." Ice said.  
"Yeah. Biiiiiiig." Spike replied. The two of them stood there staring at the door. They had been doing this for about and hour or so. The chiming of Big Ben in the distance confirmed this. Spike was a British male with outrageous pink, spiky hair. He and his friend ice were both born and raised in London together. They both had thick British accents and were high school dropouts. Well not dropouts, more like idiots. They always were academically challenged...to be put lightly. The truth was, it wasn't Spike's fault that he didn't graduate high school. Who could blame someone if they couldn't open the door to the math class? Spike just sort of stood there and stared at the door (when class was over, when was hit square in the face, but don't worry, it's happened many times). And Ice, poor Ice. He forgot how to open the car door at home so he couldn't get to school in the first place. Yes they were idiots, but there was one thing that each of them were able to do. Ice was incredibly good and pushing buttons and Spike, well he knew how to dance. Other than that, the only remarkable qualities they had were the fact that they could be easily entertained by just about anything and that they were unbelievably dumb. The two of them stood there in front of the door. Staring...staring...staring...staring...  
  
Alice and her dance team danced their routine that they had worked so hard to make. Alice kept counting the rhythm in her head. "One...two...three...one...two...three..." Her mind continued this cycle as she kept her smile bright and cheery on her face. She could feel sweat building up on her forehead but she danced on...the end of the song was nearing. She gave all the energy she could and finished with her ending pose. The stadium erupted with cheers and applause. She bowed and smiled with pride knowing she did her best and pushed herself to the limit. Her baggy pants and shirt had spots of moisture from her sweat and her loose suspenders bounced as she danced.  
  
Tracy and Boldo stood out on the dance floor dancing with all they had. They had a burning desire to know what had happened to Emi and Rage, but they didn't want to feel that pain again. Not much has changed for these two. The song came to an end and they smiled as the small crowd below cheered them on. They walked through a flurry of people with afros and fishnet stockings and quickly sat down.  
"Great job!" A female voice said.  
"Thanks Janet!" Tracy replied with a smile. Janet stood amidst the dancers...Tracy's cousin. She was dressed in all pink...though more of her mocha brown skin was showing than her pink outfit.  
"Yeah you guys did well." The guy dubbed "Afro" commented.  
"Thanks again." Tracy said as she took out a flask of liquor from her coat.  
"Oh man, TRACY!!" Boldo yelled. Tracy gave him a helpless smile and downed the alcohol down.  
  
Johnny sat on his motorcycle, the wind blowing his hair. He was riding down the freeway alone...there was a warm, familiar feeling in his heart...  
  
"YOU ORDERED YOUR DAMN PIZZA SO TAKE YOUR DAMN PIZZA!" Charmy shrieked.  
"I did NOT order pizza!" The unfortunate young, male college student replied.  
"YES YOU DID!" Charmy shrieked. She was working for a pizza parlor now and was venting her frustration of having flown all the way from her space colony to the distant star civilization of Mackrasta. She now stood in front of the college student's apartment door and kept on insisting that he ordered pizza.  
"I ordered pizza." A voice said from behind. Charmy gulped and turned around. A middle-aged woman stood at the door with her hair in curlers and a set of at home metallic silvery blue, spacey clothes. Charmy quickly gave her the pizza and watched as the door shut in her face. She turned to leave and realized that the student was still there. He was fairly attractive-looking with dark brown hair and fashionable glasses.  
"Eh, sorry there." Charmy said gulping. "It's my second day on the job so I've been a bit confused in this area."  
The young man smiled. "Well if you ever need help, here's my videophone code." He jotted down a series of numbers and letters and then handed her the paper.  
Charmy stood there, dumfounded. "Er, thanks." She said meekly.  
"No problem." He said as he walked back into his apartment. He shut the door softly and she walked down the corridor in a state of shock.  
"For the first time since what...8th grade I actually got PICKED UP!" She thought with a smile. She bounced down the halls and nearly shrieked with girlish glee right there in the halls. 


	22. Entering the Other World...Again

"SHIT!!" Rage cursed as the chair lift swung forward quickly, threatening to throw him off.  
"Not again..." Andrew moaned. Rage and Andrew had finally gotten up one of the lifts and the rickety machine was once again stopping.  
"Dammit, no wonder this place cost us only 17 bucks." Rage muttered. "Especially when the AVERAGE all-day lift passes cost around 55 bucks!"  
"No kidding." Andrew said hanging on the armrest for dear life. Their chair eventually bounced, nearly causing Rage to fall off the lift and they edged closer to the end of the lift. They finally got off and sat down to bind their free foot into the bindings.  
"The snow had better be good." Rage grumbled.  
"Don't get your hopes up, considering the quality of the lift, the snow's probably all artificial and melting as we speak." The two stood up on their boards and pushed themselves forward. Andrew was right, they had traveled about 3 feet in the snow when they slipped and fell.  
"THIS IS FUCKING SLUSH!!!" Rage screamed as he picked up a handful of snow that was plopping to the ground.  
"There's another mountain about 2 hours away from here. Supposedly the best powder on the East Coast...it's pretty expensive, but if you have enough money for your own ticket then we can head down there,"  
Rage opened the zipper in his detachable snowboard pants and took out his wallet. "I've got 134 bucks." He responded after counting.  
"Awesome! Let's head on over there."  
The two of them plowed through the melting snow and boarded downward, pitying the people who were on the lift above them.  
  
Emi felt the curve of her board as she flew down the half pipe. She pulled herself up in the air and did a series of rotations then landed on the slanted surface again and propelled herself forward as she grabbed the front of her board. She flew down the pipe and leaned back on her board to stop herself. Maria cheered her on, clapping at the bottom of the pipe.  
"That was one hell of a 720, Emi!" She complimented.  
"Thanks." Emi replied as she breathed rapidly from the strenuous workout. "The snow's really great today."  
Maria smiled. "Isn't it? They don't call this the best powder on the East Coast for nothing."  
"Got that right." Emi said with a smile. The two of them sat down at the foot of the half pipe catching their breath.  
  
Spike and Ice sat in their shared house's living room watching "Dude, Where's My Car?" They both started cracking up.  
"Play it again!" Ice said with a dorky smile while clapping. Spike lazily rolled over to the VCR. He pushed the rewind button on the VCR and listened to the whir of the tape being rewound.  
"Dude, listen!" Spike said, his British accent accenting the "u" on the "dude."  
Ice rolled on his stomach like a slug to the VCR.  
"Whoa man! Extreme!" He said.  
"It's tight man!" Spike said. They pressed their ears to the VCR, listening to the whirring. Ice was so entranced that a chain of drool began to drip from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, the VCR stopped whirring. The two were so startled by this that they fell back.  
"Whoa...it stopped!" Spike said.  
"Hey maybe it's broken!" Ice said.  
"No way, that would suck!" Spike pushed the rewind button again. The VCR hummed for a split second then stopped again.  
"Hey man, look at the TV." Ice said.  
The word "STOP" was in the left-hand corner. Of course, and normal person would know that this meant the VCR had finished being rewound...but these guys were FAR from normal.  
"S-s-s-s-tohhhhp" Spike said slowly, reading the words carefully. "Oh, it says 'stop'!"  
"Hey, I think the VCR thingy is talking to us. It's telling us to stop." Ice said.  
"But I want it to rewind again!" Spike whined.  
"Yeah, me too." Ice glared at the VCR. "We'll show YOU who's boss around here!" He yelled pointing accusingly at the VCR. He punched the VCR with his fist.  
"OWWWWWWWW!!" He yelled as he clutched his hand. There was a small scrape where he had punched the VCR.  
"Dude, it bit you!" Spike said looking at the cut.  
"Stupid machine!" Ice said as he swung at the VCR with his other hand, resulting in another scrape.  
"No man, like this!" Spike said as he banged his head on the VCR. Now this would've hurt any normal person. Any normal person would've gotten a concussion from hitting their head repeatedly with such force. Spike on the other hand had very little brain to hurt so he felt nothing.  
"Good idea, bro!" Ice said as he too started to bang his head on the VCR that now had indentations from Spike's attack. This continued for a few minutes. Then, while Spike was lifting his head to attack again, Ice let his drop resulting in the two heads banging together. Now since both heads were all skull and no brain, the two of them both injured each other...though not too much.  
"Ow." Spike said stupidly, then passed out on the floor.  
"Ditto." Ice said while he two passed out on the floor.  
  
Alice walked into the dressing room while she changed into baggy jeans and a cute reddish orange shirt with green sleeves. The other dancers had already left, exchanging good-byes with one another. Alice was in her room alone...she sighed. She felt so lonely...although it was hard to believe. She was a famous dancer...a member of the super-elite group. Of course, she wouldn't be so lonely if she wasn't such a brat. Alice Ip was brought up spoiled rotten. She had almost everything she wanted...except friends. She often annoyed girls her age with her elite attitude. She pulled out her cell phone and called her chauffeur. Then she waited outside to be picked up...in a limo.  
  
Janet sat on her knees at the edge of the dance floor.  
"Tracy WAKE UP!" She yelled. Tracy drank too much alcohol and was now on the floor with a faraway expression and a goofy smile on her face.  
"Ship me off to Katmandu with a sponge and a two inch dodo bird." She said, her voice out of key and slurred.  
"Tracy...SNAP OUT OF IT!" Janet started to slap her friend multiple times.  
Tracy began to sing with hiccups. "One (hiccup) potato, two potato, (hiccup) three potato..."  
Janet groaned. "Oh PLEASE TRACY GET UP!"  
"I am up, tis you who's down fair (hiccup) ladiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeee." Tracy said with a drunken Shakespearean accent.  
"ARGHHH!"  
  
Johnny sat on the edge of a lake as the Cadilac Convertibles whizzed by behind him. He looked at the far edge of the water, which reflected the afternoon sun. "I wonder what's happened to Rage and Emi..."  
  
Charmy bounced back to the pizza parlor humming a cutsie song. She bounded to the back, nearly tackling the chef for the hundredth time...and apologizing to someone for the thousandth. She happily took her lunch break, grabbing a slice of pizza and a canned soda.  
  
Rage zipped down the half pipe. "Now here's some great snow." He thought. He whooshed by, Andrew cheering him on from behind him. He sped downward and did and inverted 540 feeling the eyes of beginning snow boarders who were watching from the side. He then picked up speed going downward and grabbed the back of his board, arching his back. Then he flew farther down the half pipe. He did a 720 as he came up then flew down again. He was now on the last section of the half pipe. He saved his best trick for last. Picking up speed he zoomed off on the edge with incredible air as he flipped for the McTwist. But as he was rotating upside down, he saw a girl toss her head back and laugh at something that her friend sitting next to had said. This however wasn't what distracted him...what distracted him was the fact that the girl was Emi. Suddenly, he hit the side of the half-pipe and he could feel snow brush up from his shoulder's impact and into his face.  
  
Emi turned around, startled by the sudden burst of snow that pelted her from behind. She saw a person on the floor...he had obviously fallen on the half-pipe. She hastily undid her board and propped it upside down so it wouldn't slide down the slope.  
"Are you...?" She interrupted herself with a gasp. She recognized at once who it was.  
"Um...hey." Rage said sheepishly.  
"I...you fell and...well...I...er...you hurt?" She asked, not knowing what to say. Andrew's figure suddenly halted next to them.  
"Rage are you OK?" Andrew asked, not realizing someone was next to him.  
"Uh, yeah." Rage responded nervously.  
Andrew then looked to his right and saw Emi. "Oh!"  
The three were silent for a while.  
"Erm, yeah, I'll be heading down that way." Emi muttered quickly as she ran back to her board.  
"Wait!" Rage exclaimed, but Emi ignored him and put on her bindings as quickly as she possibly could, her hands moving rapidly. She quickly boarded down leaving an extremely dazed Maria.  
"Hey Emi, wait up!" She called as she stood up and took off on her board.  
Rage got up, shook off snow, and then he too flew down after Emi. A few minutes later, he caught up to Maria.  
"Rage, I lost her!" She frantically said.  
"I'll find her." Rage promised while picking up speed and whizzing down on his board.  
Emi quickly flew down the slope. She could feel tears building up in her eyes, but blinked them away. She wasn't going to cry this time. Suddenly, a snowboarder cut right in front of her causing Emi to lose her balance and fall. The snowboarder then stopped and turned around. It was Rage.  
"Why are you running away from me?" He asked.  
Emi sniffled, but said nothing.  
"Emi!" Rage pleaded she tried to get up to go again, but Rage took her hand.  
"Let me go!" She yelled. To her surprise Rage did. She turned around to see what caused him to release his grip when she noticed he was disappearing. Then she looked down and noticed that her feet were gone...then her stomach...then her arms...then her head.  
"Again..." Emi thought as she felt herself flying through a colorful sky.  
  
Ice woke up and groaned as he rubbed his bruised head.  
"Dude that was painful." He said, waiting for a response from Spike. But no response came. Ice looked around and saw that his best friend was no where in sight. He frantically got up and walked around the house until the clock in the kitchen caught his eye.  
"Coooooool." He said, fascinated by the ticking and tocking of the clock. He sat cross-legged and stared at the clock with wonder and amazement.  
  
Alice walked into her room, tired from her day of dancing. She walked slowly to the marble bathroom and turned on the sparkling, crystal lamp. She took an ivory brush and began to brush her hair in front of the mirror. She smiled to herself in the mirror and winked. All of a sudden, her brush slipped out of her hand and clattered on the floor. Wait a minute...hand? WHAT HAND? She looked horrified at the sight of her body depleting. She opened her mouth to scream, but her mouth had disappeared as well...in fact, she was no longer in Earth...  
  
Afro gave Janet the bottle of water and she drenched Tracy in water.  
"Thanks Afro." Janet said as Tracy started to wake up.  
"No probl-" Afro replied, cut off. Janet looked up to see why Afro had stopped talking when she realized Afro wasn't there. She began to panic and began to run around, but it wasn't long before she too had departed.   
  
Johnny walked around the lake, putting on his leather jacket with flames running on them. The heat in his chest grew...he felt a strange sensation...a familiar sensation. He looked around the lake to see that the lake was starting to melt away from view. He smiled. "I'm returning." He thought, knowing what the heat and familiarity meant.  
  
Charmy ran into her house and quickly punched in the videophone code the guy had given her earlier. She was about to dial the last number when she realized that her feet were gone. She knew what this meant...she was going back! She let her heart rise with giddiness only to realize what she would miss.  
"No no no no no no! Not NOW!!" She desperately pleaded, but it she had no sooner blinked when she realized she was surrounded by a familiar swirl of colors. 


	23. The Bold, Beautiful, Friendly, and Stupi...

The flamboyant colors swirled around the seemingly endless sky. Emi felt the familiar feeling of falling again. At last she hit the bottom, thought her fall had been broken. But by who? She looked down to see an outrageous male with hair that was spiked up. If his crazy hairstyle wasn't enough to give the impression of the word "wild," then his pink colored hair did. To top that off, he was wearing multi-colored clothes boots with the British flag woven into it, and a pair of sunglasses.  
"WHOA!!" She exclaimed in shock. "Er, sorry for um, landing on you." She said gently.  
"Huh?" He asked with a hint of stupidity in his voice. He had a dorky smile on his face. For some reason, her reminded Emi of a monkey...a pre-human.  
"AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Someone yelled from above. Emi looked up to see who it was. But as soon as she looked up, she was greeted by a bright flash of pink followed by the impact of the floor.  
"Eh, sorry Emi." A familiar, ditzy voice said.  
"CHARMY!!" Emi squealed as she hugged her quirky friend.  
"Gah!! Emi...air...need air..." Charmy gasped as she was glomped by her friend.  
Emi released Charmy. "Oh! Sorry!"  
Charmy snapped her fingers in a frustrated manner. "Damn, I wind up here RIGHT when I was about to go call that guy."  
"Guy?" Emi asked slyly.  
"Yeah, he gave me his videophone code so we could talk but noooooooo I end up here RIGHT when I was about to call him."  
Emi patted her friend's back sympathetically. "Poor you."  
At that moment, another person fell from the sky, landing on the spiked head of the spiked hair Brit.  
"Whoa, sorry man!" Rage exclaimed as he got up.  
"Huh?" The spiked hair male asked.  
"I sorta landed on your head."  
"You did?"  
"You didn't feel that?!" Rage asked.  
"Huh?"  
"What?" Rage asked, confused.  
"Hahahaha, you're confusing me." He said, laughing like a donkey.  
"Which probably happens quite often." Rage muttered, seeing the plain idiocy this male possessed.  
Spike laughed again. "Yeah, it does. How did you know?"  
"WHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" A shrill female voice screamed. She hit the floor with a thud. She got up quickly and straightened her hair and clothes. Then she noticed the other four people who were also there. She smiled in a friendly manner. "Wow! Those clothes are totally fun-KAY!" She exclaimed. "Where DID you get 'em? Oh by the way, my name's Janet."  
"I got mine at Sport Chalet." Emi said, unsure of who this person was.  
"Say what?" She asked, confused. She was an exotic-looking black woman with caramel brown hair and dark skin. Her clothes were cropped and exposed much of her body. Her face had a look of an Egyptian princess of some sort, outgoing, extravagant, yet kind. Emi noticed a similarity in the way she dressed. She strained her memory to remember who.  
It dawned on her. "Do you by any chance know Tracy?" Emi asked.  
"Tracy's my home-girl!" She exclaimed. "Craaaaaazy, you know her?"  
"Yeah." Emi said.  
"How?" She asked.  
"Erm...because of this...place." Emi replied.  
Janet looked around for the first time, realizing where she was. "Oh man, Tracy must've slipped me some of her vodka." She moaned.  
Charmy giggled. "Actually, you're in another world."  
Janet looked at her, stunned. "OK Tracy WHAT the HELL did you GIVE me?! A dream, it's all just a dream."  
Suddenly, another person flew from the sky. He landed on Janet, hard.  
"ACK!" She exclaimed, getting the air knocked out of her. "OK, that hurt way too much to be a dream." She looked up to see who had landed on her. "AFRO?!?!"  
"Yo." He muttered while getting up.  
"Damn, you must weigh like...what, 600 pounds?" Janet asked sarcastically. "I felt like I was PUSHED underneath a steam roller!"  
"Well you're nothing but bones. I might as well have landed on a porcupine." Afro retorted.  
Janet sniffled, though he had a point. She WAS incredibly skinny which explained why she wore such tight-fitting, short clothes. Her hair was pulled back with a headband. Afro on the other hand was a bit chubbier. He wore a flamboyant disco suit and with hair that puffed out in an afro.  
Just then, another figure came falling from the sky. He landed flat on his back and groaned as he pushed himself up. He looked awfully familiar too...  
"JOHNNY?!?!" Charmy asked, shocked.  
Johnny looked up and grinned, realizing who it was. Charmy had every reason to be shocked. After all, he had gone from the quiet, conservative dresser to a near-rebellious style. His schoolboy purple overshirt with a pressed, white shirt was replaced by a macho black, leather jacket with flames running on the back.  
"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!?!" Charmy asked, gaping at his new style.  
"I realized how dorky I was back then." He replied sheepishly.  
"DAMN!!!" She exclaimed, on the verge of collapsing not only from shock, but also at the handsome "new Johnny."  
Emi saw this and giggled. "Charmy, down girl."  
"EMI!" Charmy shrieked playfully.  
Rage cleared his throat and inched closer to Emi. "Emi..." he began.  
Emi pretended she hadn't heard him and walked over to Janet.  
Charmy noticed this and began to follow Emi, giving Rage the Evil Eye as she walked.  
"MARTIN WHERE ARE YOU?!?!" A high-pitched voice screamed frantically as she fell down from the sky. She fell to the floor on top of Rage.  
"AHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed as she got up quickly. "YOU STALKER!! GET AWAY!!!" She yelled while pointing to Rage.  
"But I didn't-" Rage began.  
"NO EXCUSES!!" She shrieked. "MARTIN COME HERE THIS INSTANT!!!!!!"  
"CALM DOWN!" Rage yelled, frustrated.  
"Don't you DARE talk back to me. I'm Alice Ip, the world famous dancer and you are simply a stalker, another adoring fan."  
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" Rage yelled.  
"WHAT?!?!" She shrieked with a voice so high that an entire glass chandelier would've been shattered if one had been present. "I," she began haughtily, "am Alice Ip. World famous dancer, part time model, AND the winner of the 'Most Beautiful Girl' title in 'Oh La La' magazine for THREE, CONSECUTIVE, YEARS!!!!!"  
Rage pretended to yawn. "Uh, OK, good for you."  
"MARTIN!!! I DEMAND THAT THIS INSIGNIFICANT HEATHEN BE DISPOSED OF NOW!!" She commanded shrilly.  
"Martin's not going to be here." A voice said from behind. Everyone faced the direction of the voice. There stood three figures, no four if you include the baby in one of the figure's arms.  
"Maho!" Rage exclaimed, remembering the vibrant green hair and colorful scarf that was on one of the ladies.  
"We meet again, snowboarder." She said smiling.  
"ZUKIN?!?!" Charmy shrieked as she hugged the shorter females. Zukin laughed playfully. "That's me, alright!"  
"You totally changed! Give me five, girl!" Charmy exclaimed as she admired the new look.  
"This time, I'm PRINCESS Zukin." Zukin replied happily. She wore a velvety maroon skirt that was in every way "princessy" along with a crown. The robot bleeped next to her.  
"Check out the wings on Konasento! Good add-on!" Charmy exclaimed.  
Zukin ran to Emi and hugged her. "Welcome back, Emi."  
"Thanks!" Emi replied as she knelt down to hug the puppet girl.  
"OH!! What a CUTE baby!" Janet exclaimed as she pinched the cheeks of the tiny baby Maho was holding. "Ain't he just ADORABLE?"  
Emi and Charmy flounced over to where Janet was.  
"Awwww!" They cooed girlishly.  
"This is Baby-lon." Maho explained. "Him and I are both new creations in this world, although we have lives on earth too."  
"He's so CUTE!" The three girls shrieked, in awe.  
"Ah yes, but I, like you, am composed of many different particle cells and atoms which are contained in your body. My respiratory system also functions similarly to yours with the capability of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. That is merely one example." The tiny baby said.  
"Did he just...TALK?!?!" Charmy shrieked.  
Maho laughed. "He's a very smart baby. Smarter than Zukin and I to say the least."  
"I didn't even UNDERSTAND a WORD he said!" Janet exclaimed.  
"He was just telling you that he's similar to you." Maho explained.  
"I am composed of the same parts of matter that you are. I too contain approximately the same ratio of atomic particles as do you, though not as much as you seeing as though I am but 1/12 of your size." Baby-lon said.  
"Huh?" Janet asked.  
"I have a headache!" Spike complained. "Too many not-understandable words!!"  
"YOU HAVE ALL ARRIVED AGAIN!" A loud DJ boomed.  
"Hey, it's Mr. DJ!" Emi exclaimed.  
"It has been my pleasure of seeing all that will be participating this year." The DJ continued.  
"For all those that are here for the first time, you are all in an alternate world. Crazy as it sounds, it's the truth. You've all been chosen because you are all people with the spirit of dancing. Those who have not come this time around have either lost their 'flaming spirit' or do not posses the inner strength to go on." The DJ explained. "So now that you're here, the name of the game is DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION!!! You're mission: TO DANCE!"  
"Basically we dance and get complimented or criticized by the DJ. Then he rates how we do...as soon as a gauge fills up, we go home." Emi explained.  
"I HAVE a brain, I can figure that out!" Alice replied tartly.  
Charmy felt like screaming at the young girl, the young BRAT. "She's just explaining." Charmy said through gritted teeth, losing her temper.  
"I already SAID I can figure things out ON MY OWN!" Alice responded with edge.  
"Emi's trying to be helpful OK?" Charmy asked, feeling her forehead throb with annoyance.  
"IS YOUR BUSHY GREEN HAIR BLOCKING YOUR DAMNED EARS?!?! I SAID I CAN DO THIS ON MY FREAKIN' OWN!!!!" Alice yelled.  
"DON'T YOU YELL AT YOUR ELDERS!!!" Charmy shrieked.  
"YOU HAVE THE BRAIN OF SOMEONE HALF MY AGE!!" Alice shrieked back.  
The two girls argued, both with high-pitched voices.  
"They need to go join an opera!" Rage wailed sarcastically, covering his ears with his hands.  
"I like the opera!" Spike said dumbly.  
"Shut up." Rage commanded.  
"OK." Spike responded happily.  
"This is going to be a looooooooong trip." Emi mumbled. 


	24. Still In My Heart

Rage woke up the next day. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and groggily got out of his bed. He looked around the enormous room. Spike was tossing and turning, screaming then laughing, though no one woke up to that anymore because they had become so accustomed to it.  
"Pssst. Rage!" Someone whispered.  
Rage spun around to see Johnny, also awake. "What?" He asked while walking towards Johnny.  
"What exactly happened to you and Emi?" Johnny asked.  
Rage froze. "What do you mean?"  
Johnny shifted so that he was sitting up on the bunk bed. "Oh come on. You can't play dumb on me of all people. After all, I was the one who saw Emi knee you in the...erm, you know where."  
Rage sighed. "I was a jerk. I kissed Ni-Na...not like consciously or anything...well sort of consciously...basically, the 'heat of the moment' made me kiss her after Emi broke up with me."  
Johnny arched his eyebrow. "Come again?"  
"Emi and I broke up in an all-out argument. It was then that Ni-Na sort of 'seduced' me."  
Johnny nodded. "Oh, I get it. Then everything just happened right? Like Ni-Na kissing you in front of us all?"  
Rage shrugged. "I guess." He paused for a moment. "Johnny, what should I do?"  
"Rage, you need to show her you still care for her."  
"I've tried!" Rage exclaimed. "I've called her, I've called her friends, I even followed her for a week. She just ignores me!"  
"Oh come on Rage, you can't just do the typical 'guy thing.' You have to do something different."  
"Like what?"  
"Think about it Rage. You embarrassed her in front of everyone, so now embarrass YOURSELF in front of everyone."  
Rage's face changed from a look of confusion to the familiar one of mischief.  
Johnny grinned. "I take it you have an idea?"  
Rage smirked. "Yeah...I think I do."  
  
"OK, so push 'play' when I signal to you, OK?" Rage asked Maho.  
Maho nodded. "Sure, but what's this all about?"  
"I'm going to get my girlfriend back."  
  
Emi combed her wet hair, styling her the blue strands the way she'd done all her life.  
"This shampoo IS NOT my customized brand!" Alice shrieked. "And WHAT is up with this soap? It's not even vanilla scented!"  
"Girl, SHUT UP!!!" Janet yelled.  
"I WON'T!!!" Alice shouted back.  
Emi sighed as the two began arguing. She continued to comb her hair until it was style perfectly. Then she dressed in her snowboarding clothes, which would suffice for dancing, along with her signature beanie. She checked herself in front of the mirror to make sure everything was perfect. After doing a quick check, she walked outside of the bathroom where Charmy was already waiting.  
"Another day to face Rage." Emi whispered to Charmy.  
"It must suck..." Charmy said sympathetically.  
"You bet."  
Soon everyone was gathered together again. The DJ's voice welcomed them and explained the day's cycle. Then he called for a warm-up session. Everyone stretched and practiced, ensuring that they would perform well that day.  
"OK!" The DJ's voice exclaimed. "Let's start this! First up is-"  
He was interrupted by a loud blast of music. A rhythmic song began to play...a song that Emi recognized at once.  
"Still, still in my heart...here in my heart...oh~! Still in my heart...deep in my heart," the off-tune voice of Rage sang. He had a microphone in his hand and was standing several feet away from Emi, and he was SINGING! He turned his face to Emi, looking at her with his familiar bad-boy smile. She remained composed, but inside, she was practically falling apart. Her heart began to pound.  
Rage pointed to Emi and sang his heart out, completely off key. "Why? Why did you...have to go away...always hard to stay...kiss before going over, over you." A spotlight came out of nowhere and people looked up to see its source. Baby-lon was manning the spotlight while Maho had a set of headphones on, checking the music. Emi tried to refrain from smiling, although she could feel a slight grin reach her lips.  
Rage fell to the floor dramatically. "Tell me, was this really true romance...or just a fantasy? ...I can't believe what we've been through." He kneeled in front of her, still clutching the microphone and singing. As he continued to sing, Emi could feel the grin become more of a smile. Her cheeks were beginning to feel warm and she felt like at any minute, she would faint from the heat of flattery and her snowboarding clothes.  
Rage went on, stretching his arms out over-dramatically. "Or was it just a fantasy...of what I thought could be reality? ...Oh baby, can't you just see...that I can't go on...never without you?"  
Emi heard the song ending and felt herself smile and blush, concentrating on the floor and hoping she could be serious. She began to giggle and soon began to laugh. She dropped to the floor where Rage was kneeling, his arms still outstretched, and hugged him nearly to the point of suffocation.  
"Damn, I NEVER thought you'd ever hug me like that again!" Rage laughed.  
Emi giggled. "I never thought you'd sing for me."  
Rage kissed her on the forehead. "You're worth every off-key note and then some."  
Emi playfully hit Rage on the side of his head with her beanie. "Don't you ever go out with another woman...even if it is for less than an hour."  
Rage laughed. "Don't you ever argue with me and break up with me in the midst of anger."  
Emi smiled. "Fine then!" She exclaimed as she hugged him again.  
"Aww, ain't that just sweet?" Janet said, pretending to wipe tears.  
"Give a round of applause to the reunited couple!" Johnny exclaimed as he began to clap. Everyone, including Alice (although she did it in more of a bored fashion), clapped.  
"Emi and Rage...sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Charmy sang jokingly.  
"Charmy!" Emi exclaimed, feeling her cheeks go red again.  
Rage quickly brought his lips down to hers, softly, briefly. Emi could hear the others cheer and call out.  
Rage broke away from the kissed and grinned. "Well, there's no tree...but there definitely was some K-I-S-S-I-N-G."  
Emi playfully hit him with the beanie again.  
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G...kih...kih...kihsssss...kihsssseeng...KISSING!" Spike exclaimed, the concept just dawning on him.  
Everyone, including Spike laughed.  
"Rage sings good!" He declared as he clapped his hands over-enthusiastically.  
"Thank you, thank you!" Rage said as he pretended to bow performer's style.  
Alice stood at the side impatiently. The entertainment in her eyes had worn away. "Can we start now?" She asked, breaking the mood.  
"Oh of course, Miss PMS Princess." Rage grumbled.  
"At least I'm not a STALKER!" Alice shot back,  
"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I don't go around stalking anyone, with the exception of Emi, let alone some bratty self-conscious kid whose panties are obviously twisted and shoved far up the ass!"  
Everyone tried to stifle their laughs, although they couldn't help but chuckle at Rage's diss.  
Alice's cheeks turned to a shade of crimson. NO ONE had ever said such a disrespectful thing to her in her life.  
"You ought to stop caring so much about you and your damn self-accomplishments and try to think about how other people view you in the world." Rage concluded, crossing his arms. "Come on," Rage motioned to everyone else, "we might as well dance now since 'someone' here has an urge to and she obviously comes before everyone else."  
Everyone shuffled past Alice and followed Rage. Alice controlled the tears. "They're just jealous because I'm better...they're just jealous because I'm better." She repeated over and over...but this time, the words that always made her smile, made the tears slide down her cheeks. 


	25. Wonders and Worries

Emi began to breakdance as "No Limit" played loudly, blocking out the sound of her heavy breathing. She twisted the lower part of her body and balanced carefully, making sure she wouldn't fall.  
"No valley to deep...no mountain to high..."  
She smiled as she got back on her feet and grooved on. The song ended and Emi was breathing heavily as she walked off the dancing area.  
"Great job Emi!" Charmy exclaimed.  
"Thanks!" Emi replied.  
"I wouldn't expect anything less from my girlfriend." Rage joked.  
"Where's Alice?" Maho asked.  
"I think the little brat's still sobbing." Janet responded while rolling her eyes.  
"We shouldn't be too mean to her though..." Emi said. "I mean, she grew up having anything she wanted...it's not her fault."  
Rage grinned. "Emi, I know you try to see the good in people, but let's face it. Alice is a brat...no wait! That's an UNDERSTATEMENT!"  
"Alice is full of malice!" Charmy giggled.  
"What's mallis?" Spike asked Charmy.  
"It's when someone is very...spiteful." Charmy replied.  
"Spiteful?" Spike asked.  
"It's a bad thing." Charmy said irritably.  
"Oh. Bad things...aren't good." Spike said, smiling.  
"And how long did it take you to figure that out, Sherlock?" Rage asked.  
Spike began to ponder. "I think two years."  
Rage looked extremely miffed. "Can someone please shoot the idiot?" Rage asked after a few seconds.  
"That's off the topic." Johnny said. "And I agree with Emi, I think it's just the way she was brought up."  
"Rage, I think you should apologize." Princess Zukin said pensively.  
"Listen Zucchini, I'm not going to apologize to the brat. She deserved what she got." Rage replied crossing her arms.  
"Rage..." Emi began, "She may be a brat, but she's still a person. If you apologize, it might throw her off guard and she might show her a nicer side."  
"Yes, Emi, that is a very dexterous point made. Alice may seem to be the superficial type, but if you penetrate the barrier she's put around herself, she may prove to have a very profound inner beauty." Baby-Lon said, nodding.  
"All right, all right. Sheesh..." Rage replied.  
Emi smiled and winked. "Good luck!"  
Rage grumbled and walked off.  
  
Alice sat in the corner of the room crying. "OK, so maybe I was a LITTLE cold," She sobbed. "But I didn't deserve THAT!"  
The door opened behind her.  
"Who's there?" She asked.  
"Me." Rage mumbled.  
"You?"  
"Yeah me."  
"Go away!" She wailed.  
"Hey kid, I'm sorry, OK?"  
"You are?" Alice asked, looking up.  
"Yeah, yeah, sorry."  
"How do I know you're really sorry?" She asked, arching her eyebrow.  
"What else do you want besides an apology?!" Rage asked.  
She arched her eyebrow further. "Are you really sorry?"  
"Yeah." Rage grumbled.  
"Really, REALLY sorry?"  
"Yeah, I'm sorry."  
"OK..." Alice said cautiously. "Then I'm sorry for being a brat."  
"It's cool." Rage replied.  
"But you're still a stalker." Alice mumbled.  
"I am not!" Rage replied.  
  
Alice's suspenders bounced as she danced energetically to "Tribal Dance." Her flair and attitude came out as she danced with energy, funk, and raw style.  
"She's got rhythm." Emi mumbled to Rage.  
"Yeah, she's pretty damn good." He replied.  
Alice smiled as she waved her arms gracefully and moved her feet with skill.  
"So get into it...get into the trance...this is the rhythm...for the tribal dance..."  
The song ended while Alice finished up her routine.  
"Damn, you've got skills!" Janet exclaimed.  
"Damn right I do!" Alice replied.  
Janet rolled her eyes. "Girl, you'll never change. But either way, you've got the step."  
"Next up is Afro." The announcer said.  
"Hey, are you losing weight?" Janet asked, noticing that Afro's stomach had shrunk in diameter.  
Afro winked. "Sit ups work."  
"Select a song!" The DJ yelled.  
"Let's choose...Cafe!" Afro yelled.  
The funky song began to play and Afro dished out his disco flavor moves. He gave a mysterious grin while he posed briefly only to start a second string of funky, disco, moves.  
"Go 'fro!" Janet screamed.  
"Who are you, a legend?" The DJ asked while Afro finished dancing.  
  
Emi sat back on her bed, fanning herself off with her beanie.  
"Man, that was hard work!" She exclaimed.  
"But hey, the day's been great." Rage said. "First I get back with my favorite girlfriend, then I get to show of my flaming style." Rage put his arm around Emi. "So how are you going to explain this to Maria?"  
"I'll figure something out." Emi replied, smiling.  
"That's my girl. Smart and sweet."  
Emi giggled. "You're 19 already though...how am I going to see you?"  
Rage smirked. "You can visit me at NYU."  
Emi laughed. "I'm surprised you got in."  
Rage mocked an insulted look. "Hey, I'm smart enough! Besides, with my extracurricular activities, you'd better believe I got in."  
Emi frowned a little. "Come to think of it, it's almost time for me to send in my applications. I'm a senior now..."  
"Hey, with your brains, you'll get into a school like Stanford!" Rage exclaimed.  
Emi shook her head. "But since I'm part Asian, it'll be harder for me to get into any good schools."  
"Emi, if any college you love turns you down, give me a call and I'll force you in." Rage smirked. "Don't worry about it, just do your best and it'll be fine. You're an extraordinary dancer, a member of the debate team, vice president of the technology club, secretary of the student body, and you've got more community service hours than Mother Theresa!"  
Emi laughed. "Rage..."  
"Besides," Rage began, "unlike me, you've got perfect grades and an impressive set of AP classes, you'll do well."  
Emi grinned. "Thanks, Rage."  
"Hey, what's a boyfriend for?" Rage smiled.  
Emi kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best."  
Rage sighed. "I know."  
Emi whacked him with her beanie.  
  
"So Johnny, how's Jenny?" Charmy asked as she sat down next to him.  
"She's popular as always, but she's gotten softer."  
"That's cool." Charmy smiled. "So like, why the dramatic change?"  
"Huh?" Johnny asked.  
"I mean, your clothes, and all...you became so...different."  
"You don't like it?" He asked.  
"Oh no, I love it! But I mean, compared to before..."  
"Jenny helped me out." Johnny said smiling.  
"Well...I like it!" Charmy exclaimed.  
"I'm glad." Johnny said.  
There was a pause until Charmy asked him, "How's school?"  
"Great, I'm doing well in all my classes."  
"Well how are you doing with like, the girls?" Charmy asked.  
Johnny blushed. "Uh, good I guess..."  
"Know any people who like you?" Charmy prodded.  
"Uh, yeah, a few."  
"Ohhhhh." Charmy grinned mischievously.  
"But I don't like them, they're not my type."  
"Drat." Charmy said while frowning a little.  
"You're a nosy little girl aren't you?"  
Now Charmy blushed.  
"It's OK, lots of people are shocked when they see what's happened to be now. You should've seen my family when Jenny revamped my look."  
Charmy giggled. "Well, I was like, definitely shocked."  
"So how's your love life?" Johnny asked.  
"Well, I met this totally cute guy while delivering pizza who like, gave me his videophone code."  
"Videophone?" Johnny asked.  
"It's like a telephone, only with a screen so you can like, see each other." Charmy explained.  
Johnny nodded.  
"But then I never got to call him because I was warped here."  
"Anyone else?" Johnny asked.  
"Nope, I've pretty much been on my own."  
Johnny laughed. "Well good luck with the pizza guy."  
"And good luck with your like 20 million girls." Charmy joked.  
"20 million?" Johnny asked skeptically. "More like 20."  
"Well that's still a lot." Charmy said.  
Johnny smirked. "Yeah I guess." He said casually.  
"Hey, but don't resort to playing around with girls." Charmy warned. "Or else I'll like, have to zap you and take you to the freezing cold moon of Pluto, Charon."  
"I heard it may just be a comet." Johnny said.  
"Nope, it's a moon, at least until it spins out of orbit or disintegrates." Charmy explained. "In my era, we use it as prison for the really bad criminals...REALLY BAD. Like, guys who like, blow up planets and stuff."  
"Don't worry, there's a reason why I'm still single."  
"Good, don't like, play girls or else I'll like, get Astro to warp me to the 50s and take you to like, Charon."  
  
Emi hugged Rage. "Good night."  
"Sweet dreams." He replied.  
"Like, good night everyone!" Charmy yelled.  
"Good night." Everybody replied.  
Everyone smiled as they rested their bodies after a tiring day, preparing themselves for tomorrow and at the same time wondering when everything would come to an end.  
  
Zukin, Maho and Baby-Lon paced around the room.  
"This is the last time it'll happen." The DJ said. "No more people are ever coming back here...after this, this world of flamboyance will be shut down...permanently."  
"I understand." Maho said. "The pain must've been great leaving and returning only to leave again. It's best that nobody goes through that again."  
"I thoroughly concede with Maho." Baby-Lon said. "It's best that all of this ends for the sake of us and the dancers."  
"I'm glad you agree with me." The DJ said.  
There was a long silence.  
Robo's voice bleeped. "We have been lucky to have even gone this far."  
"But if we shut down this world, what will happen to us?" Zukin asked.  
The DJ paused for a long time. "I don't know." 


End file.
